Road Trip
by cpneb
Summary: You've laughed, you've cried, you've seen people handed their Fannies.....that's awards, people, awards! The Third Annual Fannies are over, and the party's almost over. Chapter 21, aka Part 2, Chapter 10, begins...now, and that's all.
1. P1C1: Sweet Tea Surprise

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

A bit of a surprise for Jocelyn, and a Fannie adventure for all...

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**P1, C1 –****Sweet Tea Surprise**

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"Morning, Joss," Dr. Wade Load smiled as his monitor snapped on to show Andrea Jocelyn Possible, his BFGF, pulling her coat from her closet. She smiled as she turned around and faced her camera mounted above her monitor.

"Morning, Aggie: were you checking me out, again?" Joss asked, and Wade grinned at her from her wall-mounted monitor and winked.

"Always, Joss: always" Wade said with a devilish grin. "You give me _**so**_ many reasons to, Sweet Tea," he added, and Joss blushed.

"Joss, are you busy this weekend?" Wade continued and took a deep drink of his ice water as he talked to Joss while he simultaneously checked the status of Kim and Ron's latest mission: Dementor was in custody now, and they were headed home from Austria.

Joss looked down from the monitor above Wade's head and smiled. "Yeah, Wade: I'm free, but I'm **not** inexpensive by any means," Joss laughed, and Wade laughed with her. "What's up?"

"I have a little surprise for you," he grinned.

"A surprise, for _**me**_?" she asked excitedly. After the Lowardians had wreaked havoc around the world, Wade had been busy on several projects, not the least of which was working with Dr. Elizabeth Director-Possible (Slim Possible's new bride of only months, and Joss' new 'Momma2') on getting the collapsed GJ tube network back on-line.

"It's just a little something I thought you'd like," Wade grinned.

"I'll be on the 10:43 AM Escape flight coming in, Wade," Joss announced after a few seconds of checking flights and seat availability.

"Great; I'll see you at the airport, then, Saturday morning. TTFN, Sweet Tea."

"Later, Aggie," Joss joked back and cut the connection on her PosComm, disconnecting her computer and monitor feeds. She sighed as she leaned back in her chair. After she'd made a fool of herself last year, and even though Wade had assured her that he was, indeed, in love with her and her partner 'for the long haul,' Joss still had an occasional twitch in the back of her mind.

'How he could love me, after what I put him through, I'll never know," she sighed as she reached over and picked up her framed picture of him, his smile seemingly looking directly at her. She hugged it, and then she kissed the picture. "I love you, Wade," she said simply as she stood, put the picture back on her desk, grabbed her books and her coat, and headed downstairs for school.

Wade smiled after she cut the connection. He reached over and picked up the model and held it in his hands, turning it from side to side.

"I think she'll like it," he grinned, then laughed. "Oh, yeah, Wade: This will be a BIG surprise."

-----

Joss walked down the mini-jetway into the Middleton International Airport.

"Joss!" She looked up and started to walk faster as she saw Wade with his hands behind his back.

"Wade," she grabbed him and hugged him, and several people coming off the plane applauded. Joss looked up and blushed.

"Miss Possible, Dr. Load," one gentleman, wearing the dress uniform of the Royal Australian Army, walked up to them and offered his hand. "Colonel Jason Ernest White, of Her Majesty's Australian Army Intelligence Corps, on detached duty to Global Justice. I just wanted to say thank you for everything you've done and for your help in our recovery and restart, after the invasion."

"Trust me, Colonel: I had a vested interest in doing so," Wade laughed as he shook hands with the Colonel. "I had a couple of friends 'up there,'" he pointed skyward, "that I wanted to see again.

"That," Wade pulled Joss closer to him, "and I had to see this vision of loveliness once again," he grinned as Joss blushed.

"Indeed, sir," Colonel Wright smiled. "Miss Possible, perhaps we will see you and your Dr. Adams at the conference this summer?"

'**My** Dr. Adams?' Joss giggled inside.

"I'll take my leave; I just wanted to offer my thanks," Colonel White snapped a salute, turned sharply, and headed to baggage claim

"Now, you need to come with me," Wade took Joss' hand and led her through the terminal to a door on the west side; Opening it, the air rushed in as they stepped outside; waiting for them was an airport electric cart. Wade smiled and indicated to Joss that she needed to get in.

Joss sat, and Wade went around to the driver's side and got in.

"You need to put this on," he handed her a blindfold, and she laughed.

"Are you kidding?" She looked up into his face and saw the twinkle in his eyes.

"Part of the surprise," he explained as he took it back and placed it over her eyes, tightening it to make sure she couldn't see out. He turned her head to face his and waved his hand in front of her eyes; getting no reaction, he leaned in and quickly kissed her.

"HEY!" Joss smiled.

"Just thought you needed it," he replied as he started the cart and pulled forward, heading away from the terminal.

Joss had no complaints about the kiss, and she smiled as they drove./

-----

Wade turned into a small opening in a front of the massive hanger wall; the wall contained a single, closed door.

"This building is secure; please provide identification," the voice announced. "Failure to do so will result in immediate incarceration.

"It's me, Wade-J," Wade announced with a chuckle.

"I know: I needed to make sure you were on your toes. Hello, Joss: love the new eyewear," Wade-J joked.

"Hello yourself, Wade-J: any hints?"

"It's bigger than a nano-tick," he replied with a chuckle as Wade's cart pulled into the hanger and Wade-J closed the door behind him.

Wade stopped the cart and turned off the electrics, then stepped out and went around, taking Joss' hand and helping her out of the cart. He led her a few feet from the cart, and they stopped. He spun her around once and pointed her toward the middle of the hanger, hit the remote that closed the vents that allowed light into the hanger, and turned off all the lights except for one tiny light shining down on the two of them.

"You can take off the blindfold now, Joss," Wade announced, and Joss reached up and removed her eye-ware.

Her eyes adjusted to the dark quickly, and she could see something in front of her, but she couldn't tell what it was.

"What is it, Wade?" her voice echoed throughout the hanger.

"I hope you like your 'little something,'" Wade smiled as he hit the lights.

Joss almost wet herself.

'Ah should'a known better when Wade said 'little,'' she grinned as she looked at the 'hanger filler.'

It was a jet aircraft: that was obvious by the engines, but it was like nothing she'd seen before. Oh, the jet was big, but it looked sleek and functional, but something looked different. The engines…and the mountings…that was it.

"A jump jet?" She asked, and Wade smiled; he knew she was brilliant, and this just re-confirmed another reason that he could hardly wait for her to graduate from college so he could officially ask her….

"Very good, Joss: it's a combo jet: built for transport, but it can be converted to executive, when we need it," Wade replied.

Joss loved the paint job, but she gasped when she looked at the tail: painted on the tail was the **Blaze**_**IT!**_ logo.

"Wade…" her voice trailed off as her tears overtook her face.

"Joss, would you like to look inside the **Blaze**_**IT**_**-1**?" Wade asked her, and she threw her arms around him and hugged his neck, soaking his right shoulder as she sobbed.

"Wade…," she finally pulled back and looked into his smiling face with her tear-streaked one, "after everything…you still did this?"

"Joss, what happened to us was our way of finding out just how much we meant to each other," Wade replied, wiping tears from his own eyes. "We both made mistakes, and we learned from them," he added.

"But," Joss started, and Wade hushed her with a kiss.

"No 'buts,' please, and thank you," he added, straight-faced, and Joss couldn't help but laugh as she hugged him again.

"Just say 'Thank you,'" he suggested.

"Thank you," she replied with a smile.

"Now, my queen,", Wade smiled, "would you like to see the inside of your new flying chariot?" Wade asked, and Joss nodded vigorously. He took her hand and walked her over to the boarding ramp, where they walked up the incline to the doorway of the plane. He explained the plane finish, designed for hypersonic transport, and the special engine mountings, designed for VTOL as well as hypersonic travel.

Joss stepped through the doorway into the jet and laughed: the first wall she saw was grape-colored. The thoughts going through her mind matched the expression on her face.

"Sorry, Sweet Tea, but I just couldn't resist," Wade laughed as he moved past her and clicked a switch, changing the wall tint to a neutral shade of beige. Joss laughed and swatted at him, but missed.

"Wehl, you certainly took your own sweet time gittin' here, Sweet Tea," Joss almost fell when she heard her father's voice, and she turned and looked into the cabin:

The seating was definitely not standard commercial aircraft seating: the seats were in groupings of five and six, surrounding tables that contained enough network and voice communication connections to run a Global Justice sitch.

That was good, because Dr. Elizabeth Director-Possible was sitting in one of the very comfortable-looking chairs, talking on a phone plugged into one of the desk outlets. She looked up at Joss and waved, then indicated that she had 2 more minutes on the phone.

"In this configuration, Joss, we can seat 55 people comfortably as well as carry luggage averaging 250 pounds per person," Wade explained, and Joss dropped into one of the comfy leatherette swivel chairs.

"This entire interior is built on a platform that can be easily removed for a mission; that would allow us to move 120 fully-equipped team members in and out of a Search and Rescue sitch," Wade continued, and Joss looked up just as Betty ended her call.

"Well? What do you think, daughter?" Betty laughed. "I think your BFBF-almost-fiancée did well, don't you?" she smiled, and Joss glared.

"How did y'all keep this from me?" Joss ranted. "I never expected anything lak this," she continued.

"Well, we _**are**_ an intelligence organization among other things, daughter," Betty replied, "and we do have some, on occasion," Betty continued with a grin as Joss' steam level dropped down to a mid-range bubble.

"And, the best part, Joss?" Wade grinned, and Joss leaned forward to stare into his eyes.

"We're going to use this for a Road Trip to get cpneb and his friends for the Fannies," Wade smiled, and Joss's grin grew huge.

"Neb's coming back?" Joss asked excitedly, and Wade nodded.

"Uh, huh," he grinned, and Joss grinned even bigger.

"Somethin' tells me that mah daughter has a little crush on our friend," Slim smiled, and Joss blushed.

"Not like that!" Joss protested, and Slim laughed. "He was so nice last year, and he's been so nice to us in telling our story, Daddy!" she continued, but the red remained on her face and in her cheeks.

"'Joss, and 'neb-by, sittin' in a tree," Wade started, but Joss' glare and Betty's laugh stopped him.

"That sounds like something Star would say, Wade," Joss glared, and Wade smiled, saying nothing.

"Yeah, right," Slim laughed. "It's all right, Sweet Tea: 'neb would never do anything to you like that: he's a father, just lak me; besides, he knows about Tornado," and Slim laughed even harder.

"Who all are we picking up, Wade?" Joss asked.

"Well, Sweet Tea, we're making a semi-global 'quick run,'" Wade pulled out a map and sketched out the route. "There's quite a few friends of 'neb that you know already."

"Like King? He was a riot last year with his daughter emulating him."

"Yeah, we'll be picking up King in Yellow, but we'll also pick up some others like the writing team jakt: ja, and kt; KimRon PosStoppable, Akinyi, Twila and her date, and Ace," Wade continued, and Betty laughed.

"Don't forget PRT and Sir Sebastian, Wade," Betty added, "and whitem, Ran, Mikey, and Star."

"Star?" Joss looked excited, and Wade laughed. "I almost forgot about him and Cajun," she smiled. "This should be a really good Fannies this year."

"I'll get 'neb set up with an unlimited NationalExpress Card so 'neb and 'his ladies' can shop here if they need to," Wade added, and Betty laughed.

"'neb and his ladies,'" Joss snorted, and Wade laughed again.

"Somebody's jellin,' and it should be **me **jellin' with you and all your men," Wade grinned, and Joss took on her Kim aspect:

"I am **NOT** jellin'! I just don't think that 'neb should be here with-" and Wade finished her sentence.

"-with someone besides you, right?" Wade smirked, and Joss blushed.

"Well," Joss grinned, "He **is **kinda cute, for an older guy," and Wade rolled his eyes, drawing a laugh from Betty and Slim. "Besides," she continued with a smile, and Wade winced, knowing what she was going to say next, "Tara **did** compare him to an older 'you' last year, remember?" Joss laughed as Wade blushed.

"That reminds me, Sweet Tea: we do have one more pickup, and this one is going to be a bit different: It seems that I have to pick up my daughter," Wade waited for the explosion, but Joss only grinned.

"Who's her mother?" she asked, and Wade blushed. Slim and Betty laughed at Wade's twitching in his seat.

"Well, she's my adopted daughter, at least in that 'verse," Wade said with a smile.

"Who's the mother, Wade?" Joss pushed again, and Wade's smile disappeared completely.

"tara," Wade mumbled, and Joss grinned.

"Tara, huh? So, it looks like you **finally** got you a MHS cheerleader, huh, Wade?" Joss' eyes twinkled with her laugh, and Slim laughed as Wade stood and ran to the rear of the plane.

They all heard the door slam, and then they heard Wade burst into laughter: long, hard, waves of laughter.

"This is certainly going to be an interesting Fannies award ceremony this year, it seems," Joss remarked dryly, and Slim chuckled.

-----

**Author's afterward:**

The Australian Army colonel's name has a link back to Australian military history; the late Reverend Arthur Ernest White, a Church of England clergyman and padre, 44th Battalion, First Australian Imperial Force, was the person who held the first Dawn Service on ANZAC day in Australia. The link to the story is here: http://www.army.gov.au/history/Historyofdawnsvc.htm. Enjoy your read, and enjoy this story as we begin our trip to Middleton for the 3rd Annual Fannies.

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Next, on_** Road Trip**_

**P1, C2: A little planning goes a long way**

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Thank you, to all of you, for supporting us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

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2008.01.10


	2. P1C2: A little planning goes a long way

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

A bit of a surprise for Jocelyn, and an adventure for all

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**P1, C2 - ****A little planning goes a long way**

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"For the last time, Aggie, I don't lak it one bit!" Joss slammed her hand down on the table, and Wade sighed inside and mentally rolled his eyes.

"Joss, I don't want Jade, believe me; after everything I've been thru with them (at least, that other 'me' has been through), I am _**not**_ attracted to her," Wade told her for the fifth time since she'd seen the final table layout that cpneb sent yesterday.

"Why did he do that?"

"'neb told me that he has a packed table, and he wanted to make sure that Slyrr got a good seat; of course," Wade laughed, "they're all good seats, now that we've got the equipment tested out," Wade looked at her, but her head was down.

"There's no one for me than you, Jocelyn Possible, you know that," Wade reached across and took her hand. Joss looked up and smiled sadly.

"Ah know, Wade; ah'm sorry; it's just all these women here around you that drive me crazier than a rattlesnake in a baby's toy chest," Joss laughed, but she still wasn't convincing to Wade.

"'All the women?'" he grinned. "What about all the guys, Joss? Besides Star and CajunBear and 'nebmeister, Mikey's coming, too; what am I supposed to do when they all get a look at you in that dress you keep telling me about in a major tease sitch?" That broke the ice, and Joss laughed.

"Besides, after that picture you posed for by Slyrr, I should be the one who's jellin'; every guy in their 'verse has gotten a look at my Sweet Tea with that look on your face, and I don't like that, either," Wade added with a more than a hint of truth in his heart; he liked the picture, but it bothered him that other guys were looking at his BFGF.

"Jellin', mah Aggie?" Joss teased, and Wade looked directly into her ice-blues and smiled.

"Yes, I am, and I have every right to be: you're beautiful, and I want you all to myself," he smiled a feral smile, and Joss grinned and reached across the table, pulling him toward her; their lips met in the middle.

-----

'What a year this has been,' 'neb thought as he started his leg exercises.

'From relatively unknown and unread writer, telling Wade and Joss' story, to a shared Best New Writer award at the Fannies, to no leg movement, to a diagnosis I've sought, for the last 20 years: what a ride!

'Then, the rehab hospital, and Jackie,' he grinned as he remembered when she opened the door and walked in for the first time: a night nurse, masquerading as Anne Possible. 'Well, she's certainly _**not**_ a Celler,' he remembered thinking as she smiled and spoke.

'I shocked them all when I rolled into physical rehab and then walked out, albeit on a walker, in 14 days: the drive to get back to the family and the computer and the internet was too strong. Then, of course, 8,000 emails, mostly spam, but the gold buried in there was incredible: learning what friends you have 'out there, in here:' I understood, for the first time, what CaptainKodak1 meant: these are truly good people.

'A little strange, perhaps,' he chuckled as he finished the exercises and got off the table and went to the bars for more. 'Of course, who am I to judge?' he laughed inside, remembering the response that his story 'Oops' had received from some people.

He stepped away from the bars and went back to the table, sitting down and removing the leg weights. He then returned them to the shelf and headed out the door, waving and calling goodbyes to the therapists as they continued to work with others.

'It was strange enough when Wade and Joss showed up last year, but I got over that surprise. Sarah, though: not _**that**_ was a shocker!' He started the car and backed out, heading home. As he drove, he remembered the look on her face, the tears in her eyes, as she pled with him to tell her story, and the look of shock, surprise, and pure delight when he agreed to her request. He remembered her first response when she saw that people were actually reading the story, and he thought she was going to faint when she saw that reviews were actually coming in.

"The kicker, though, was jakt's email: she was surprised that they knew about the 'sitch' with Mrs. Dr. Possible, and she was even more shocked that they wanted to talk to her about her involvement.

"'Nobody wants to hear my side of the story,' she told me.

"'Well, once again, Miss Best, you are incorrect,' I laughed, and she blushed and agreed to tell her piece to them.

"Meeting ja and kt has truly been one of the blessings of my year, of my life," 'neb said to himself as he sat at the stoplight. "I'm so glad I finally twisted her arm and ego enough to take a chance and write: she's incredible, and so is her father: Godzilla Plot Bunnies do need the proper weapon," he laughed as the light turned green and he turned left.

"Akinyi, jakt, the Pharaoh," 'neb grinned, "Star," he laughed as he thought of Star's reaction to one of his stories, "Mikey, Ran, Ace Ian Combat, whitem: they've all been such good friends: sometimes, I think that they're all perplexed by me and some of my ideas.

"Even King in Yellow, after we stopped sparring and I started really listening, has turned out to be a good friend: I'd like to think we've both come a long way.

"And Twila," he smiled as he pulled into his driveway. "Dear, darling Twila: without her idea and her goading, I'd never have understood the true meaning of the word: Oops," he laughed as he turned the car off and went to the back to get the walker. Heading into the house after locking the car, he was still smiling. "What a shocker to find out how old she really was!"

"All these people: they have no idea how much they truly mean to me: somehow, I've got to show them. Maybe the dinner will help them understand, even a bit," he walked into the house and closed the door.

'neb only had one thought:

Poor Will.

'The boy's got to lay off the 'Possible' women,' he laughed as he went in to change from his workout clothes.

-----

Akinyi shut down her AIM and laughed to herself.

''neb's crazy,' she thought as she headed out of the room. ''neb and Mikey and Ran: they're all crazy,' she giggled a bit as she headed to bed.

"Night, Mom, Dad," she called out.

"Night, dear," her mom replied.

'They're all so kind, and they kid with me all the time; it's so much fun to harass them, especially Ran and Mikey,' she laughed as she closed her bedroom door. 'And, 'neb's so nice, the way he's always so happy to help! Not to mention he's fun to talk to and harass, too!'

She flopped onto her bed, staring at the ceiling, still not quite tired enough to drift off to sleep right away.

'I can't believe it's almost time for the Fannie Awards. To think: I've got three nominations! And, 'neb's happier about my noms than his own: all 27 of 'em!' Akinyi snickered good-naturedly. "Hopefully, he doesn't Classic Cowboy himself." She grabbed a pillow and hugged it tight. "How'd I manage to find him out here?

'He's got to be crazy,' she thought, laughing aloud, after thinking about nothing in particular, and then smiled. 'I can't wait to meet him in person, though: he just sounds so…different than anyone I've ever met before,' she thought as she stretched, throwing her pillow up in the air and catching it. 'Not to mention kt: she's a riot! I'm really looking forward to meeting her! I wonder if she'd let me borrow that Godzilla Grand-Slam Bunny-Eradicator 4000 of hers…'

"I just never expected to meet people like this on the KP fanfiction site: I expected young people, but I never expected to meet a gentleman who'd turn into my adopted godfather. Just what I needed: another 'father' to tell me I couldn't date until I was 35," she laughed while she stood, tossed the pillow to the side, and readied for bed. "This one is…well, I don't know what he is, but I like him, no matter what he is.

"I still think it's funny that his kids are older than me, and I'm going to accompany him to the Fannies! It just feels right, after all our chats; besides, kt and Mikey and Ran all give me the same reaction: he honestly cares about us.

"This will be a fun trip," she snuggled under her blankets as the snow outside roared its displeasure at the protection that her home offered to her. Sleep came quickly, but only after she spent a fitful few minutes thinking about her upcoming midterms.

-----

Mike Industries smiled as he looked at the list of nominations; he had some, and that was more than enough for him. He'd love to win, but he somehow expected that the odds of that happening were fairly slim.

"Mikey," a soft, feminine voice said over his shoulder, and he felt the warmth of her hands on his shoulders. "What are your thoughts?"

"Just thinking about all my friends out there; I'm really happy for them," he replied as he reached up and touched her hand on his right shoulder. 'So nice, she is: always worried about me ahead of her own feelings: I'm lucky that I found her,' he thought.

"Are you not, as you have heard others say, 'jellin,' Mikey?" she laughed softly as she expertly kneaded his shoulders, and Mike smiled: he liked her laugh, but he loved her touch, and her long, slender fingers were strong and magical.

'She could work for Midas,' he thought with a chuckle and sighing inwardly, 'with that touch.'

"No, I'm not: I'm really happy for them: they've got some good stories out there," he continued.

"I'm really looking forward to meeting them even more now," he smiled as he squeezed her hand softly. "Especially since so many of them want to meet you," he smiled, and she squeezed his shoulder. "There are lots of them who don't know you at all."

"Ah, so that's it: I'm just your, how you say-" she started, but he finished it for her as he turned to face her.

"You are my very special **guest**, and yours will be a wonderful role in this current story, as well," Mikey smiled at her. "I'm proud that you're coming with me, and I'm very excited to be seen with you, Ino," he repeated once again, still trying to convince her that this was not just for show.

"Thank you, Mikey-san," she spun him back, no longer facing her, and she continued to knead the tension from his shoulders….

-----

Ace Ian Combat laughed as she sent the last PM to cpneb.

"He's totally crazy," she laughed. "'Neb is totally crazy! It's a great idea, and I'm looking forward to the trip, but **now** it'll be even more fun," she grinned as she ran her fingers through her hair. "Guess it'll finally pay off," she laughed, then started to look at dresses again.

"Why did I put this off so long?" she faux-moaned, then laughed again to herself. "That 'neb must be a head case at home, if he's anything like his stories.

"Long, or short? Guys have it easy: put on the suit and go.

"This one looks interesting," she smiled, then shook her head.

"I need to study first," she closed the dress links down and pulled up the dreaded math material. "books first, Fannies later," she said, then, almost as an after-thought, ran her fingers through her hair again.

'I'll get both of them good,' she thought as she started to take notes for the upcoming test, but she couldn't keep her mind off the idea.

She tried to remember the mannerisms, and she could remember sitting, standing , walking, hand movements, the whole sitch. 'Guess I've been a good fan-atic,' she thought with a giggle, then went back to the books.

-----

"Hello?"

"Tara? Hey, it's Crys," Crystal was practically giddy.

"You're in a better mood," Tara smirked, and Crystal laughed.

"I took your suggestion, and it worked!"

"He said yes?" Tara asked, hopefully.

"Uh-huh! He told me I he was shocked that someone as pretty as me didn't have a date to the Fannies, and he said he would be honored to be with me!"

"Told you," Tara smiled. Crystal was one of those people that everybody assumed had a date, but she's spent far too many nights at home with herself and her family and her pets. Tara had decided that, this year, she was committed to getting her out for the Fannies.

"He sounds like such a gentleman, Tara: have you met him?"

"I saw him last year at the Fannies, but it was only from a distance," she laughed. "There was that 'Tarrable' sitch that he started, but he's over that now," Tara grinned wickedly.

"Tara! You didn't hurt him, did you?"

"Not much," Tara replied. "He sure liked it when I kissed him where I hit him, and that was his face, miss dirty-mind, before you even ask," Tara chuckled as Crystal laughed.

"Do you have a dress picked out, Crys?"

"I was gonna wear that one I wore to the last banquet, but now that I'm going with him, I wanna get something that'll knock his eyebrows off," Crystal smiled through the phone.

"I had the same idea with Ran," Tara replied. "I want to make him remember me the same way 'neb remembers me from last year," Tara grinned as she remembered the way cpneb looked when she walked into the main door of the hotel. "I thought the poor man was gonna have a heart attack," she laughed.

"Well, you did put him into the hospital in less than 30 days," Crystal retorted with a grin coming across the phone.

"HEY! That wasn't me, Crys: even he didn't know that he has MS, and I didn't trigger his exacerbation," Tara defended herself.

"I don't know, Tara," Crystal replied in a dead-pan voice. "I heard that built-up stress and tension can trigger an attack, and you certainly did _**that**_ to him."

"You don't think-" Tara started with a worried tone in her voice, but she was cut off by the waves of laughter coming across her cell. "CRYS! That was mean! 'Neb's a nice guy, even if you do sometimes have to lift his head so he'll look you in the eye," Tara giggled. "Nah, he's nowhere near as bad as Brick, but he is a man, after all," Tara smiled, "and he certainly _**does**_ know how to treat a lady," she smiled as she remembered the after-party, and the semi-private concert that 'neb had given her. 'He writes like he plays: with such emotion,' she thought with more than a hint of a smile as she remembered the look and wink he gave her that made her turn red from her scalp to her toes. She quivered, just thinking about it, even now….

"Do you have a dress yet, Tara?" Crystal's question snapped her back to reality.

"I did, but I got an idea when you called: mirror?"

"Oooh, that'd be so evil and wicked," Crystal laughed. "Let's do it, Tara."

"Great: I saw one down at Nancy's in the mall. Meet you there in 20?"

"I'm there, GF," and both cell phones slammed shut.

They weren't Kim, but the ladies were on a mission, and whitem and Ran Hakubi were in serious trouble of the heart-wrenching kind.

-----

From a high roof-top overlooking the home of the 3rd Annual Fannies, a single shadow watched the scurrying of the people and vehicles below through a monocular and smiled.

"Let's see...a 'load' of munitions that even Load can't trace: I'm set," he reached over and grabbed a stick of buffalo jerky and bit off a piece, chewing slowly and alternately sipping water through the tube leading through his un-uniform uniform from his water pouch wrapped around his waist. He looked at the crates of ammunition and remote controllable weapons that he was going to set up the next day; he could launch the assault and not even be here.

"Those fools down there don't stand a chance," he grinned, "and there's nothing Global Justice will be able to do about it!" he cackled hysterically.

"Well, hello there, handsome," the soft and sultry feminine voice startled him, and he turned-

Facing him was a young woman, approximately 18-19 years old, auburn-haired, with a blue crop-top and a blue skirt with big yellow flowers on it. She wore slip-on tennis shoes and white socks.

"Hello," he replied, wondering how she'd gotten up to where he was.

"What'cha gonna do with all that, mister?" she asked.

"Well, if you must know," he stood, pulling a piece of rope from around his waist as he walked toward her, planning to tie her up, "I'm taking out the Fannies."

"'I don't think so, Tim,'" she said as she placed a full-thrust kick into his lower area, causing him to look totally shocked and then double over in pain, grabbing himself where she kicked. She then executed a roundhouse kick to his head and knocked him into the pile of boxes, rendering him unconscious and causing the water pouch around his waist to explode, soaking him and the crates.

"Good shot, Sarah," came from Kim as she stepped out of the shadows with Ron and Rufus. "And, may I say, very well executed, as well."

"Thanks, Kim," Sarah Best blushed a bit. "Just because Chip can't be here doesn't mean that anyone can take out my first Fannies, not on our watch," Sarah smiled and pulled out her PosComm. "Wade: cleanup on aisle 4; send the armory truck: we've got a few new items for the Middleton Armory, too," she added with a smile, the wind casually blowing her hair.

"Gotcha, Sarah," Wade replied. "I'm on it."

"Now, shall we go?" Sarah turned and saw that Ron had already tied and gagged the 'gentleman' and removed his weapons from his reach.

"Hrk! Uh-Huh!" came from Rufus, and Sarah laughed and petted his head.

"Gooood little naked mole rat," she cooed, and Rufus rolled over and presented his stomach for worship, generating laughs from Kim and Ron both.

He woke up when Global Justice was loading him into the prison van, and he decided that it was his time to rant.

"Frackle! You won't stop me with your tip-offs, 'neb and Load: I'll be back, and this time I'll have a whole arsenal with me, just you wait! The Fannies will burn in chaos from my artillery, and I'll laugh as you scream and cry in fear! Mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-" the van jerks forward suddenly, and the mouthy would-be assassin/terrorist lurched forward and smashed his mouth into the closing door.

Ron winced as the man tried to grab his mouth, not a 'possible' maneuver with his hands tied behind his back, and he opened his mouth to scream. Ron watched his entire front bridge fall in front of the man on the floor of the van. He looked down and screamed even louder.

"Did I do that?" The driver looked out the window back at Kim, Ron, Sarah, and Special Agent Arnold Carlos waved as Ron slammed the van door shut and it moved forward smoothly.

"That wasn't very nice," Sarah remarked as she listened to the Doppler'ing of the screams.

"Neither is killing 'Loads' of innocents," Ron remarked dryly.

"I heard that, Ron," Wade's voice came over Sarah's PosComm, and they all laughed as the Global Justice armory truck pulled up and the team jumped out to collect their latest booty.

-----

"Dad?"

"Yes, darling daughter?" ja smiled as kt, his daughter, seemed to merge into the room like oncoming traffic on the Interstate.

"Any more Grand-Slam Plot Bunny ideas?" kt grinned.

"Not today; or, at least, not so far," ja laughed. He had surprised his daughter with 'Open Season,' and he was still paying for that, even today. 'Never get on the bad side of an 11-year-old with mad writing skills,' he thought with a smile.

"I'm looking forward to finally meeting 'neb," kt smiled. "Besides, I want to see the look on his face when he meets CP for the first time, too," she giggled.

"Just like he's looking forward to watching you when you and Kathrine Load meet for the first time, as well," ja smiled back at her. He knew that 'neb was really looking forward to meeting the both of them, just has much as he was looking forward to finally meeting 'neb in person for the first time.

"Just think, Dad: if we hadn't been looking at the story list and seen his first post for TGIB, we would never have met 'neb," kt smiled as she looked over his shoulder. "Are you working on '_**Just a Favor**_?'"

"Yeah; just barely started it, though, kt: yes, I'll get more than the first paragraph done," ja chuckled.

"That's good, Dad," she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Good Dad," she laughed.

"Woof," was his response, earning the expected response:

"I'm going back to studying for my math mid-terms after that 'dog' of a joke, Dad," kt sighed and turned, heading out of the room.

"You're just lucky your brother hasn't read your story, dear daughter, or you'd be head-first in the nearest snow drift."

"Not with my handy-dandy scarf/slingshot, Dad: you remember," she grinned over her shoulder as she left the room, blowing her Dad a kiss as she left.

"I remember," he called out, rubbing the spot where he'd been pummeled by her weeks ago. "Remember, we've got to get back on Pandaroo: he's waiting for us," he added.

"I remember, Dad, but this week is 'all about test prep,'" kt called from the hall.

"Channeling 'Ki Hodge,' now?" he laughed, and he heard the raspberry from her as she headed to her bedroom; she didn't notice the tiny ball of fur that ran out of ja's study, slipped in behind her, and now slipped into her bedroom before kt closed her bedroom door.

ja saw it, though. "_**This**_ should be interesting," he grinned, turning back to his monitor and awaiting the reaction.

-----

"Hello?" The voice came across the phone, but the caller id looked familiar….

"It's a blast from your past, Mags," 'neb grinned.

"A blast…from my past?" The voice was tentative, still confused. 'Nobody's called me 'Mags' for years….'

"I'm deeply hurt, Mags: just how many other violins did you untune before recitals?"

"'_**neb!**_" her scream was almost deafening.

'She remembered,' he thought with a chuckle. "In the all-over tanned flesh, dear lady," he replied, and she laughed.

"Bad lines and all, I see," she laughed. "Are you still being nice to all the younger ladies, 'neb?" the warmth and love in her voice was unmistakable.

"I never…well," he grinned, "I'm being as nice to them as I was to you, even back then," he chuckled.

"Lucky young ladies, then, 'neb: you were a wonderful 'big brother,' 'neb, and I really enjoyed harassing you."

"How are you, Mags? I'm sorry about your Mom, by the way: you know I really cared a lot about her, especially after all that she did for me."

"Thanks, 'neb; she liked you a lot, too." She paused, and then continued:

"So, 'what's the sitch,' neb?"

'neb chuckled. "Have you been watching _**Kim Possible**_, Mags? A recognized studio and concert violinist, ad faculty member, like you?"

"Watch it? I _**love**_ it! The daughter of a friend turned me onto it, and I've been hooked. Besides," she laughed, "Wade reminded me of someone I knew 'back in the day,'" she smiled through the phone, and then she thought:

"Wait: how would **you** know, 'neb?" She asked in a jocular accusatory voice.

"Well…I've starting writing again, Mags," 'neb's voice trailed, and she put the pieces together.

"**Where** are you writing, 'neb?"

"On WAY! I know who you are: you're cpneb, aren't you?"

"How could you tell?"

"Hello? Joss and Wade? You and that redheaded French Horn player that you-"

"MAGS!" 'neb laughed. "How did you know about Lynn? You weren't around me when I was around her."

"Need a Clue Bee, 'nebmeister? Youth orchestra, remember? I was at all of the concerts and most of the rehearsals, remember? Besides, brother would come home from them and laugh about your drool spool," Mags laughed, and she could see 'neb blushing though the phone: 'that's a neat trick for him, anyway,' she grinned.

"'Clue Bee?' you're definitely a reader, Mags: you've been wandering through the 'HodgeVerse,' too."

"I love the 'HodgeVerse,' and I love the JadeKimVerse, too," Mags chuckled. "So, again, 'neb: 'what's the sitch?'"

"Well, I was looking for some musicians for the Fannies, and-"

"You wanted the 'Best?'"

"Damn, GF, you have been reading my stuff."

"Told you," she announced with a smirk in her voice. "How many do you need?"

"Well…all of them, actually: it for the Fannies orchestra," he confessed.

"The Fannies? I can get you a 'pit crew' of about 40," she replied: "Will that work? They're all KP fan-atics, too, and, to quote Angelica, 'they all believe,' too. We watched it in between sessions when we're working on the last movie tracks."

"40?" 'neb's jaw dropped.

"Yeah; will that work?"

"Uh…sure, Mags," he paused, and she knew what was worrying him.

"You're covered: we'll do this one because we all love KP; besides, you've obviously got a way t get us to Middleton, and I've always wanted to go.

"How did you find my number, 'neb?"

"Order up: a double order of D'OI, Grande-sized, Mags," 'neb laughed. "The Internet, remember?"

"Oh…" she remembered, and then she blushed.

"And, before you say any more, Mags: yes, I saw the pictures of you out there, and you're even more beautiful than I expected," he added, knowing that his comments would make her blush.

They did, and Mags felt her face heat up.

"It's true, Mags: you reminded me of Tara with that look in your eye."

"'neb, you must be crazy: I'm not 18 anymore, I'm over 40: you know that."

"And, a very lovely over 40, to boot," he replied.

"You're smooth, 'creamed corn,'" she laughed, and he laughed with her, realizing that she really **had**read **all** of his stories.

"You make your calls, Mags, and I'll talk it over with Wade. We'll tentatively schedule a pickup for Thursday afternoon before the Fannies; that way you can get into the hall and check the acoustics as well as meet and work with the other performers like Captain IT and his band, Ran Hakubi for his Fannies closing, and others. I'll cover your expenses while you're there, since you're donating your services."

"You mean, Wade'll cover the expenses," she laughed. "That'll work, 'neb." She paused, but decided not to say what she was thinking.

"Great. Thanks, Mags: you're a dream come true."

"So I've been told, but not recently: my students lately have considered me more of a nightmare than a dream," she grinned.

"Gee, I wonder why," 'neb mused, and he laughed. "Thanks, and I'll call you back in a couple of days, Mags."

"Great; I've gotta go: I have a student outside my office, even as we speak. Bye, 'neb."

"Bye, Mags."

The phones disconnected, and both of them had thoughts:

'I wonder what would haven happened if….' Was 'neb's thought.

'Why didn't I ever tell him how I really felt?' was her thought.

-----

"How's she flying today?"

"Like a dream, Wade: no bugs, no problems at all," Commander Lindsey Peterson was finishing her after-flight report. "I took her up with another full simulated combat load, and she flew as nimble as if she had no 'load' at all," Lindsey laughed as she finished the final sentence and sent the report to Dr. Director and the other members on the certification team. The jet had been certified for at least six months now, but they still wanted to see the reports.

"Wade, have you filed the flight plan? You know how much fun it'll be crossing the barrier," she commented.

"I know. We'll pick up all the folks from Middleton that want to ride as well everyone from Montana that gets here via tube, and we'll pick up 'neb next: it's not the most optimized flight path, but I wanted to give 'neb a treat, sort of a payback for all he's done for Joss and me. "Then, we'll take advantage of the currents and get Kathrine from her pickup point in the future in Middleton, and then we'll drop back over to 'neb's 'verse and start the pickups from outside of Denver, then southwest to Arizona, and then start the west-to-east run.

"Besides, nothing like a little time fun to make everything work for all the writers; this way, they get to spend days over here while they don't lose any time in their 'verse," Wade added with a grin.

"WADE!" Lindsey stared at him. "Did you tell 'neb what you were planning to do, or how?"

"Well." Wade grinned, "I explained the time differentials between our 'verse and his, but he glazed over every time until I got him to sit still and really listen."

"How did you do that?" Lindsey asked.

"Well,_**he**_ certainly couldn't do it, Lindsey," Sarah Best walked in, laughing as she heard Wade start to explain what happened to 'neb. "So, I made 'neb look into my eyes and explained it to him."

"How did you get him to understand?"

"Did I mention that I was sitting on his lap, straddling him while I explained it to him?" Sarah grinned evilly, and Lindsey laughed with Wade.

"Sarah, you probably gave that poor man a heart attack!" Lindsey was still laughing, and Sarah shook her head 'no.'

"No, but he listened to me, though," Sarah laughed. "I can't wait to show this to Pharaoh," she held up a hanging bag from Nancy's.

"Your dress?" Lindsey asked, and Sarah nodded.

"You're lucky: I've got duty that entire day at the site," Lindsey said, her tone of voice showing her lousy mood, "so I'll be in GJCU-city and armed all day and well into the night, until well after the Fannies. At least Wade and 'neb are feeding us, so we're not stuck eating MREs."

"I caught the GJ, Lindsey, but what's the CU-city mean?" Sarah asked.

"Combat Uniform-city," Lindsey replied, "similar to the US Army old BDU (battle dress uniform) or the new ACU (Army combat uniform), but designed with a unique pattern that blends in better in specific environments: urban, for example, as well as desert and woodland with its muted colors," and Sarah filed that piece of knowledge away for a rainy day.

"If you bring a change, 'neb said you and the team are all welcome to come to the after party, Lindsey, especially since Will will likely be there," Wade grinned, and Lindsey's mood improved almost immediately.

"Now I know why you like 'neb so much, Sarah," Lindsey smiled. "He's always thinking about everyone else," and Wade's water went down the wrong pipe and Sarah barely suppressed a laugh while Wade coughed to get the offensive substance from his windpipe.

"You haven't met him yet, have you?" Sarah asked with a smile, and Lindsey shook her head 'no.'

"Well,_**this**_ should be interesting," Sarah remarked dryly, and Lindsey didn't understand why Wade was laughing so hard.

-----

Star was mumbling well into the night.

"'Hallway's' gonna put me into the rubber room for certain," he said to himself. "And, now," he reached over and petted the huge plot bunny that had come to visit him and taken up residence in the 'Wedding Bells' hutch that had been vacant for awhile, barely fitting his huge body inside before Star slammed the cage shut.

"'Why don't you write it?' 'neb suggested," and Star pounded some keys.

"'It'll be a piece of cake,' he said," and Star pounded some more keys.

"'I know you can do it,' he told me," and Star laughed as he saved and closed the file.

"I want to wring his neck, at times: I'm certain I can do that, at least," Star laughed as he copied his files to his jump drive and powered down the computer. Three-days were starting tomorrow, and he had done as much at home on errands and honey-dos as he could before starting back to work.

"Amazing what one beta will do to a person," he muttered to himself with a smile. He had enjoyed 'neb's work, and the idea of doing a beta for him was, indeed, an intriguing idea. That one beta had turned into an almost-full-time job, beta'ing 'neb's 'load' of work that came out across the end of the year. Between that, meeting jakt, and turning the tables and having both of them, 'neb first, beta his work, had resulted in a good working relationship and a wonderful friendship with 'neb and jakt. He liked working on kt's works almost as much, if not more sometime, than his work on 'neb's: she, kt, was a refreshing breath of fresh air.

"But, not the Godzilla Grand-Slam Bunny-Eradicator 4000's," he laughed, and his wife stared at him again: she had learned to take his hobby for what it was worth, even kissing him when he told her that he was up for a Fannie even though she had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. But, he was happy, so she supported him

'At least he's not out drinking and doing other things at night: I know where he is, and I know who he's with: one of his redheads, or Sarah, or harassing 'neb,' his wife thought as she headed for bed, followed by a smiling Star.

"What?" she asked, feeling his eyes on her.

"Nothing," he grinned, "just admiring the view, dear," he smiled.

"You're a nut-burger, you know that, don't you?" she laughed as she shook a bit more and headed for the bedroom with more of a smile on her face. 'But, you're _**my**_ nut-burger,' she giggled inside as they walked into the bedroom….

-----

ja was putting the final touches on chapter 2 of _**"Just A Favor"**_ when he was momentarily distracted by a collection of sounds:

The scream, the recognizable clicks of the firing mechanism, the call of "DAAAAAAAAAAD," the screech as the bunny grew towards room-size, and the percussive feel of the Godzilla Grand-Slam Bunny-Eradicator 4000 releasing its energy, all resulted in a noise symphony that the family had already learned to roll over and ignore.

"I guess the bunny got her attention," ja chuckled as he leaned back and watched the grape-colored smoke billow from kt's room under her door and into the hall, then heard the huge exhaust fans fire off as the smoke began to retreat into her room.

"Dad, did you do that?" kt called from behind the closed bedroom door.

"Do what, darling daughter?" was his innocent reply as he re-read the last two pages.

"Remember to turn the fans off, daughter: remember where your homework went the last time you left them on after you went to sleep."

"How could I forget, Dad?" kt laughed over the fan noise. "Akinyi messaged me the next week and told me she had my pages land on her porch," kt replied.

ja could now hear her moving around in the room as she cut the fans. "Remember to remove the blood stains, too, kt: you know how much your mother hates bunny blood on the carpet."

He didn't catch her response, but he heard the BE4000 on its lowest setting as it removed the stains, leaving her with the smell of grapes that would last the entire night.

'I'm getting tired of that smell; probably as tired as Mikey is of reading about grapes,' she thought as she set the BE4000 in the charger next to the bed.

"I'm ready, Dad," she called, and ja came in to listen to her prayers and tuck her in for the remainder of the night.

-----

**Author's afterward:**

Writers are people, too; we sometimes forget that when we argue on the forums. We have lives, too, believe it or not, and we have distractions called 'real life' that sometimes get in the way. Luckily, Wade's got some cards up his 'Loaded' sleeve that will allow all of us from our 'verse to cross over this year with minimal time loss in our world…sorry, the concept is patented.

My thanks to Rocinante/Celler Fan for the wonderful news: he's bringing back the _**"HodgeVerse"**_ with _**Cellergeddon.**_ Ki Hodge and Angelica are residents of that 'verse, and mentioned in respect by one of their biggest fans.

Thanks to everyone for your confirmation that I re-created you accurately. "Mags" does exist, btw, and she's a friend I've reconnected in the past and am doing so again. Yes, she did those things to my violin, and I know that she was really cute back in the day (she was 3 years younger than me, though, and I hadn't seen her for years when we met again back in the mid-1980s). She **is** quite the musician….

Enjoy your read, and enjoy this story as we continue our preparation for the Fannies and our trip to Middleton for the 3rd Annual Fannies.

-----

Remember the Fannies, and vote in this first round for your favorites in the following categories:

Best Writer

Best New Writer (first KP story published in 2007)

Best Story Overall

Best Series Overall

Best One-shot Overall

Best Novel-sized Story Overall (100,000 words or more)

Best Comedy

Best Romance

Best Action/Adventure

Best Drama

Best Crossover/Fusion

Best K/R Story

Best Kigo Story

Best Alternative Pairing Story (Ron/Bon, Kim/Drakken, Shego/Barkin etc.)

Best Original Character

Best Minor Character

Best AU Story

Best Original Character Name (Following the KP naming scheme)

Best Villain

Best Songfic

Best Young Author

Best Short Story

Best Writing Team

I'd appreciate votes for my works, but, even more importantly, vote, period. Send you completed ballot before end-of day January 31 to Zaratan via PM or via email at on_** Road Trip**_

**P1, C3: Dot I's, cross t's, and start to pack**

-----

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

-----

2008.01.17


	3. P1C3: Dot, cross, and start to pack

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

A bit of a surprise for Jocelyn, and an adventure for all

-----

**P1, C3 - Dot I's, cross t's, and start to pack**

-----

She strummed her guitar and winced: she still needed to work on her chords.

"Mommy? Could I have a hug, please?" her daughter's soft eyes won, and the guitar went to the couch as pinkymint opened her arms for her daughter and held her.

They rocked back and forth, and she thought about how much her daughter had grown when the single tone came from the computer: she had incoming mail.

Moving with her daughter, she made it to the computer and clicked the mouse, opening the email program. She smiled when she read the subject line, and she released her daughter so she could sit and read the email.

"Who's it from, Mommy?" she asked, and pinkymint smiled.

"A crazy man back in the States, dear, but he's a good kind of crazy," she replied.

"You mean, like you and I?" the male voice came from behind her, and she felt his arms wrap around her.

"No, dear, a different crazy altogether: he's a certified loon, but he's a good man, truly," she replied.

"Do you mean 'nebby, Mum? He's silly, but I like him; he's a good silly creature," her daughter replied with a laugh, and she felt the warmth of her husband's smile as he leaned his head on her shoulder.

"So, what's the 'Mad Texan' up to, now?" he asked with a chuckle.

"He was replying to my review of his story, that's all," she said as she stood, pulling her husband up with her.

"So, dinner?" she asked expectedly, and he didn't disappoint as he revealed the papers...

"FishChippies! FishChippies!" their daughter danced around the room, and she and her husband both laughed.

"Thank you, Daddy," their son came in as soon as he heard the papers rattle.

"You never liked these before,' he commented.

"Daddy! That was way back when I was little: I'm a big girl now, but I still don't like the malt vinegar!"

"We know, daughter: we know," pinkymint laughed.

"Do we have ketchup, Mommy?"

"Yes, we do," pinkymint replied as she handed her son the bottle and then handed her husband the bottle of his favorite: Jamaican hot sauce.

Her daughter winced as Dad splashed his fish. "EWWW, yucky, Daddy!" she announced to the laughs of her father and brother.

"Getting ready, P?" her husband asked as they finished dinner and their son and daughter ran off to wash up.

"I'm a bit nervous, but I'm ready," she replied.

"You'll be great, P: you've got the moves, and you'll definitely get their attention," he laughed.

"That's your opinion, my husband, but thank you, just the same," she replied with a smile.

"You're beautiful, and you're got the outfit to accentuate your luscious curves: what more could I want?" he asked, and she leaned over and whispered into his ear.

"Well, besides that," he added with a laugh as he kissed his wife. "Mmmm, not bad, for a Yank," he added with his acquired accent, and they both chuckled and held each other.

"Thank you; luv," she whispered.

"For what?"

"For putting up with me, my KP, and my 'men' back in the States," she laughed.

"They can have you in the virtual world, but I want you in the physical, forever," he murmured as he nibbled her shoulder. "I like my milk chocolate dancer, even if she's not always an angel," he moved up to her ear.

"Stop it!" she swatted at him playfully, then grinned. "at least, until after the table's cleared," she smiled. "You're certainly not the angel, either, luv," she whispered into his ear as she nibbled on him.

"So, you're ok with me taking the Fannies trip?"

"Of course: I still can't imagine what it's like, but you'll only be gone one night, and the kids will enjoy my 'cooking,'" he laughed.

"You'd better feed them something besides fishchippies for every meal!"

"Hmmm, fishchippies for breakfast," he mused, and the room silenced as she closed his mouth with hers.

-----

Crystal was devastated.

"They're all going to hate me, and it's start all over again.

"I can't deal with this again.

"Crys, why'd you do something so stupid?" She fell to her knees, crying, and punched Tara's number on her BlueBerry.

"Tara here, Crys: what's up, GF?"

Crystal heard the familiar voice, and that started her bawling again.

"Crys, what's wrong?"

"Crys, what's wrong?"

"Crystal!" Tara's voice came over, and it finally broke through Crystal's sobs.

"Tara, I screwed up, big time!"

"Slow down, GF, and give me the 4-1-1."

"I have two dates to the Fannies."

"Ouch," Tara replied. "I hope they're both cute," she smirked.

"TARA!" Crystal shouted, and that helped her relax a bit.

"Well, they are, but that's not important, Tara.

"Remember when my BlueBerry crashed?"

"Do I?" Tara shuddered. "You were a basket case for 36 hours until you got to the store and got a free replacement unit, and they transferred your files for you.

"Well, I had a note from Sir Sebastian that he wanted to take me to the Fannies, and I lost it: it wasn't recovered when they brought back my data, and I kinda forgot about it, and, well, 'neb hooked me up with whitem, and I kinda asked him and he said yes, and I was all excited, and then I got a note from Sir Sebastian, and I'm in trouble, Tara!" Crystal finally took a breath, and it started her sobs again.

Tara sighed. 'That girl is gonna lose it, one of these days,' she thought. "Calm down, Crystal.

"First, have you talked to 'neb about this?"

"No, I'm scared to: he'll hate me, too!"

"No, he won't, Crystal: he's a really nice guy, as long as you're not wearing anything low-cut," Tara giggled, and that made Crystal laugh.

"Seriously, go to Sarah's or Wade's, use their portal, and go talk to the guy: I know he'll have some ideas for you…well, just long as you don't wear that dress you wore for Sam, you'll be fine," Tara laughed.

"OK, Tara, I will. Thanks, GF: you're a big help, like always."

"NO big, Crys: cya."

"Cya, Tara," and Crystal ended the call.

Crystal made her next call.

"Wade? Crystal. Listen, can I come over? I need a favor, and it's a big, Wade."

"Sure, Crystal: come on over," she clicked her cell off, and Wade grinned.

-----

Tara's cell beeped, and she picked it up from the desk: Crystal.

"Crys? How'd it go?"

"Tara, you were right!"

"And, what's new about that?" Tara smirked, and Crystal laughed with her.

"Tara, 'neb's a sweetheart: I really like him, even though he's as bad as Wade," Crystal laughed. "He let me cry when I needed to, and he listened to me ramble, and he even let me use his email to send an apology to whitem. I even told him that Liz wanted to be his date at the Fannies.

"When I saw whitem's response pop up, I started to freak, but he even held my hand when he opened the email for me to read. I was so happy, I hugged him so tight, I thought I was gonna cut off his breathing."

"Yeah, GF, you were gonna cut off his breathing, but for an entirely different reason,"" Tara commented dryly.

Crystal blushed, but she kept going. "Yeah, well, whitem told me that he forgave me! I sent him a note back, thanking him, and I promised him a slow dance at the after-party.

"Tara, you remember those silver dresses we saw at Nancy's that we liked?"

"Yeah?" Tara got excited.

"Well, I have an idea, and Liz liked the idea when I pitched it to her, so here it is," and Crystal started to explain her idea to Tara. Tara, in her room, started to smile, and then smiled even bigger, finally bursting out laughing.

"You don't like it?" Crystal asked, confused.

"GF, I LOVE IT! This will definitely make sure that Sir Sebastian, Ran, and whitem have an evening they'll never forget!

"Great!" Crystal took a huge sigh of relief: she'd hoped that Tara would like the idea.

"So, when's the appointment at Nancy's, Crys?"

"Tomorrow, at – " Crystal stopped, then smiled. "Hey! How did you know I already made the appointment?"

"You're smart, Crys: you knew I'd like the idea, and you wanted to make sure that we had time to get the dresses altered before the Fannies. Besides, accessories are all-important, and we've got to have time to shop for them, too," Tara was grinning from ear to ear by now.

"Listen, Crys, I hate to cut this short, but I've got to get back to the books: my International Relations class is a bear, and I've got to study for it."

"I know what you mean, Tara: Multivariate Calculus is no pushover, either, and I've spent too much time away from the books myself.

"See you tomorrow, alright, Tara: 3:30 PM at Nancy's: ask for Peggy in formalwear."

Tara made a note of the time and contact. "Got it: thanks, Crys."

"Cya, Tara, and thank you."

"For what? I just listened," Tara laughed. "Cya," and Tara ended the call.

'I'm glad she solved that sitch,' Tara smiled as she opened her book again and clicked on the icon directing her to the research material for the next competition.

"It's definitely not the 'cheer regionals,'" she chuckled as she started to review the countries in this round of the contest.

-----

Slyrr knew he'd catch them and he wasn't disappointed when he opened the door and caught Grimm and Rhonda in a full embrace and lip lock.

"A-Hem," Slyrr cleared his throat, and they jumped like they'd been caught in mid-coitus.

"Glad to see you that two are 'getting along,'" Slyrr smirked as he sat down on the couch next to the laughing Jade. He reached up and petted Rueful, who had been watching the pair with a bit of a smile on his own face.

"Hey, just because you-" Grimm started, and Slyrr held up his hand: Grimm knew what that meant, and he shut up immediately, generating a giggle from Rhonda.

"Well?" Jade asked excitedly, and Slyrr smiled

"16," he simply replied, and Grimm groaned as Rhonda jumped up to do 'The Dance.'

"'We've got plen-ty of nom-mies,'" she began to sing as Grimm smiled inside, "'and nom-mies got nut-tin on us!'" He really enjoyed it when Rhonda 'cut loose,' but he was getting tired of 'afraid to tell her: 'she might never stop,' he grinned in his head as she and Rueful danced.

'After the third time in three weeks, 'The Dance' is getting old; then, again, I _**really**_ like the way she moves,' he controlled himself enough so that his blush wouldn't come out.

"Are you _**done,**_ now, Rhonda?" Grimm smiled a thin smile as Rhonda and Rueful finished with a flourish.

"This round, I am," Rhonda blushed and sat down after Rueful bowed to her and scampered back to his couch perch.

"Is that why you called us over?" Grimm asked, and Slyrr smiled as he pulled out his Blackberry.

"We've been all been invited to 'The Table," Slyrr stated, and Rhonda and Jade both screamed.

'Even Grimm smiled a bit,' Slyrr noted as Grimm tried to hide his own excitement.

"How did you wrangle that, Slyrr?" Jade asked.

"'neb invited me, then he invited all of you, as well," and Grimm growled as Rhonda and Jade both smiled.

"What, Grimm?" Slyrr asked.

"I don't trust him: what does he want, now? That 'Jade-shipper' can't be trusted," Jade growled, "Present company excluded, of course, Jade," Grimm hastily corrected himself as Jade continued to glare and growl at him.

"Why won't you give 'neb a chance to prove you wrong, Grimm?" Rhonda smiled as she spoke, and Jade smiled.

"I think Grimm's jealous, and I'm certain it's because someone has a crush," Jade replied with a smirk, and Rhonda blushed.

"I am _**NOT**_ crushing on 'neb!" Rhonda yelled at Grimm.

"I am _**NOT**_ jealous of 'neb!" Grimm yelled at Rhonda.

They both looked at each other and then looked around at the room. Slyrr and Jade were grinning.

"Riiiiiight," Slyrr replied with a smirk of his own.

"I wanted to tell you what you were up for, so far," Slyrr clicked his Blackberry, and scrolled down the forum post to his name:

"The team's up for best villain, as are Grimm and Maze," and Rhonda scrunched her face. "The team's also up for best original character as well as both of you, Grimm and Rhonda; you're also both up for most original name, too," Slyrr smiled as he noticed hands snaking to each other on the love seat.

"What about you, Slyrr?" Jade smiled up at him, and Grimm couldn't help himself:

"'Jade and Sly-rr, sittin' in a tree,'" he started, but Rhonda punched him in the gut, and Rueful landed in his lap and flicked his front claws in a 'do you feel lucky?' motion.

"I'm up for a few, but I'm up for Best Writer, too," Slyrr grinned. He couldn't help himself: he was proud of that nomination, because that meant that someone rated him with the writers he'd been reading before he decided to write his first words here. Secretly, though, the award he was pulling for was for Team Probable to win 'Best Villain:' that was the award he really wanted to see, them accepting the award and him…'I wonder what 'neb would do if I jumped up on the table and danced?' he thought.

"Slyrr!" Jade grinned big. "That's wonderful!" She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, much to the surprise of Grimm, Rhonda, Rueful, and a very perplexed Slyrr.

Jade realized in a few moments where she was and what she had done; she backed off quickly, her skin getting considerably warmer as she blushed. "I mean, that's great, guy," she tried to cover her response.

"Jade, I'm flattered, but I _**am**_ a little bit older than you," Slyrr tried to defuse Jade's embarrassment, but Grimm wasn't going to let her get away with it.

"So, what's next, Jade: are you and Rhonda going to be chasing 'neb around the table?" he smirked proudly, and he was assaulted this time by everyone except Slyrr.

Slyrr popped a mint as he watched Grimm get smacked around by his BFGF, his tech whiz, and his BFGF's weasel using all available WMDs which, in this case, was a pair of couches piled with throw pillows, and he laughed to himself.

'There are times,' he thought wistfully as Grimm finally came up for air, and the entire team was laughing, having pummeled Grimm to within an inch of his life with couch pillows: even Rueful had managed to get one and whacked Grimm several times.

"So," Grimm was able to breathe finally, "what's the catch?"

"Nothing: we'll fly to 'that Middleton' on BlazeIT-One, we have a limo waiting for us at the airport, Rhonda and Jade have been invited on a Middleton 'Mall Crawl' with some of the writers and some of the Middleton and Montana folks, we have the seat at the table, of course, and we've been invited to 'neb's After Party, as well," Slyrr told them, and Rhonda and Jade were already mentally thinking about dresses.

"Tech limitations?" Grimm asked.

"None of ours allowed other than communication devices; Grimm, you won't do anything foolish like try to destroy the Fannies to show you're the best, will you?" Slyrr had to ask, and he wasn't disappointed in the answer he got.

"Nobody's paying us for it, so, no," Grimm smiled, and Slyrr breathed a sigh of relief, then a thought-.

"And, '_**no**_' stirring up things, Grimm," Slyrr said, and Grimm looked hurt.

"Me? Stir up something?" he tried to look innocent, but Rueful started laughing, and that set everyone else off, including Grimm himself. "You know me, Slyrr: I _**never**_ stir things up," Rhonda snorted, and Grimm grinned. "Of course, if some innocent observations from me happen to result in _**other**_ people making trouble… well, I have _**no**_ control over what other people attending this event _**might**_ just happen to do." By now, Rhonda and Jade were doubled over and grabbing their sides in pain from the laughter, and Rueful had fallen off the couch back and was, literally, rolling on the floor.

Slyrr waited until everyone calmed down before continuing. "So, should I accept?" Slyrr asked and ducked the flying pillow from Rhonda.

"If you turn it down, Slyrr, I won't 'bear' it," Rhonda grinned, and Grimm poked her in the ribs.

"How long are you going to keep up the 'bad bear' jokes, Rhonda?" he asked, and she laughed and kissed his cheek.

"As long as it bugs you, 'Grimmy dear,'" she grinned as he blushed.

"So, when do we need to pack?" Jade asked.

-----

"Wade, we've tried, but she won't come out," Carlene Best repeated as he knocked on Sarah's door. He could hear her sobbing behind her door, the same sounds that her mom had said had been coming out of her room for at an hour each day for the last three weeks.

"Sarah?" he called as he squeezed Joss' hand. "It's me, Wade; Joss is with me. Can we come in, please?"

He heard her stop crying, and then he heard movement in the room and heard the lock release as the doorknob turned and the door opened a crack.

"Come on in, and close the door behind you," the voice told them as it moved back across the room.

Joss and Wade pushed the door open carefully and noticed that all the lights were off except for a tiny lamp on her desk and her MOS' 25-inch flat-panel, the screensaver flashing across with the _**Blaze**_**IT!** logo alternating with the Motherboard's first CD cover.

"Sarah," Joss asked, Sarah sitting in her desk chair facing away from them, "what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry," Sarah turned around and clicked the light switch.

Wade ran to her and hugged her.

'She looks terrible,' Joss thought as Sarah burst into tears again as Wade pulled her from her chair and hugged her, rocking her back and forth until she finally slowed her sobs to a sniffle.

"Sarah, what is it?"

"Wade, Joss, how did you stand it last year?"

Joss smiled inside: she knew exactly what Sarah was asking.

"Stand what, Sarah?" Wade asked.

'God, he's such a man, but I love him so, even when he's clueless,' Joss thought as she walked over to Sarah and took her hand away from Wade, pulling her to sit on the bed.

"It's tough, Sarah, but you're strong; even if you don't go further. It's an amazing honor just to have been nominated."

"I don't want to let 'neb down," she started to sniffle more, and Joss took her head in her hands.

"You won't let him down, Sarah; you can never let him down, or JAKT, either: you've been wonderful all year, and you know it.

"But, what if I don't win anything?"

"We didn't win, either, Sarah: we didn't even make it to the final 3 last year," Joss laughed, and Sarah looked surprised.

"You didn't?"

"Not even close, Sarah; I don't think we were close on our individual awards," Joss grinned. "I was happy that we were there when 'nebster was announced as the co-winner for Best New Writer, though: that made my year, just seeing the look on his face.

"That win energized him and helped him to listen to others," Wade smiled as he sat on the other side of Sarah, taking her hand.

"I just remember how scared I was when knocked on his study door last year after you two pushed me into going to visit him," Sarah smiled. "I was trembling when I walked into his office and he offered me his chair: the chair," she giggled. "I explained who I was, and he already knew everything about me except my name. When I told him, he kissed my hand and told me how very pleased he was to finally know my name,

"Is that man trained in making people blush?" she asked, and Joss and Wade both laughed.

"I think he learned it from living with his wife and being in trouble most of the time," Joss laughed, and Wade winced, "kinda like some Aggie I know," she added as she blew Wade a kiss around Sarah.

"So, how many are you two nominated for?" Sarah asked with a grin.

"Well, Wade and I are nominated in one category 4 different times," Joss smiled as Wade stood and walked over to sit next to Joss, taking her hand. "I just hope we don't 'CC' ourselves.

"Wade's nominated for the 'Define, Hell' series," and Wade grimaced: he didn't want to think about what he'd learned about that story, "And, I'm nominated for the 'Blue Eyes, Shining' series," Joss' eyes literally sparkled as she spoke.

"Wade's also been nominated for a role in Classic Cowboy's 'The Batman,' as well," Joss finished, and she thought for a moment, but Wade beat her to the question.

"What about you, Sarah? I haven't looked or had access to the information; my link to their 'Forum' has been down for awhile: darn inter-dimensional 'Net," Wade groused, and Sarah laughed.

"I've got three: one in the pairing category for me and Zorpox; I mean, Ron," she blushed, and Joss nodded: Wade had told her the story.

"And, I'm up against both of you in Best Minor, and I have a nom in Original Character Name."

"Sarah, that's fantastic! I know that 'neb is proud of you, and so are JAKT."

"You really think so, Joss?" Sarah smiled, and Wade squeezed Joss' hand.

"I know they are, Sarah: I know they are," Joss replied as she squeezed Sarah's hand.

The three sat quietly for a few moments, and Sarah spoke up.

"Do you have a dress picked out, Joss?" Sarah asked.

"I do," Joss grinned, "and it's gonna be spankin'! Mah Aggie won't survive," she added, and Wade clutched at his heart. "What about you, Sarah?"

Sarah stood and walked over to her closet, opened the left sliding door, and pulled out-

"OMG, Sarah! It's gorgeous!" Joss exclaimed.

"Thanks, Joss," Sarah smiled, and she turned to look at Wade. "Wade? What do you think?"

Joss and Sarah laughed at the jaw-dropped Wade, and Sarah made a mental note to, when Wade regained consciousness, to ask him for words.

She put the dress away, and Joss brought Wade back to the land of the living in the time-honored tradition.

"Wow," was the only word Wade could say, and Sarah and Joss sat quietly and chuckled as Wade went into Sarah's bathroom to splash some cold water on his face.

The three sat in the relative darkness, waiting for the end of the voting.

"I wonder how Kim and Ron deal with it," Sarah casually remarked, and all three of them laughed loud when they thought about that 'sitch.'

"Kim gets to jell' over Ron in alternate pairing stories," Wade started the response.

"And, Ron just has to keep an extra-large drool bucket for the KiGo stories," Joss finished, and they started laughing again.

"I just wish Chip could be there with me," Sarah whispered, and Joss squeezed her hand.

"He will be with you, in spirit; besides," she grinned, "both 'neb and CP will be there, so you'll definitely have some company," Joss laughed, "that is, if you can pry his hands off of Akinyi," and Joss slapped Wade's hand.

"What did I do?" he whined.

"It's what you were thinking, Aggie," Joss laughed, and Sarah laughed, as well. "Remember, I saw her pic, too," and Wade gulped.

"She's a cutie, huh, Joss?" Sarah asked as Wade continued to squirm.

"You could say that; Wade certainly would and did, and more than once, too," Joss mock-snarled and leaned over to kiss a worried Wade back into submission.

"I love Sweet Tea," he turned and kissed Joss.

"Please, not on my bed," Sarah pushed them to the floor, but they kept on kissing.

'They've got it bad,' she grinned as she went back to her chair and fired up the MOS to see if her absent Chip was online.

----- 

Akinyi shut down her AIM and laughed to herself.

''neb and his compliments did it again,' she thought as she headed out of the room. 'I'm blushing from head to toe,' she grumbled good-naturedly to herself as she headed up for bed. 'Between him, Mikey, and Ran I'll so be stuck with a permanent blush at this rate!'

"I'm calling it an early night, Dad: I have a bad feeling that morning and school are going to be here way too early," she called out.

"That's what happens when you and those crazy friends of yours shop all day and talk all night," her dad laughed as she headed up the stairs. She resisted the temptation to shoot him a kt-grade raspberry.

"Night, Mom."

When she didn't receive an answer, Akinyi peered over the couch and found her mother fast asleep already.

"You four girls were just too much for her," her dad muttered in mock-grievance, his serious tone ruined by the humored grin on his face.

Akinyi nudged her sleeping mom's shoulder, but her only response was incoherent mumbling.

"Don't worry, kiddo: I'll make sure she doesn't spend the night there."

"You're a saint, Dad," Akinyi chuckled, giving her father an embellished bow. "What ever would we do without you?"

"Knowing you two? You'd end up falling asleep in the mall, too stubborn to stop shopping. Now off to bed with you little missy. You know that your math teacher is already a narcotic as is. The last thing you need is to be half-asleep before her class even starts." He waved her off, smiling.

Akinyi simply returned the smile and left, knowing that everything her dad had just said was more than true.

In her room, she flopped onto her bed, staring at the ceiling and letting her tired mind drift.

'You can never have too much shopping, even if you don't buy anything,' she grinned as she stood and put her two bags away, the smaller she left on her nightstand, while she carefully hung the larger bag in her closet. She still remembered all too well how her dog had decided to add a few extra arm holes to her old dress; there was no way he was finding this one.

'Shopping with Sarah and Joss and kt should be a blast!' She yawned, and then got ready for bed.

"Round One voting ends before Friday, then the fun really begins," she said out loud as she pulled back her covers and climbed in, snuggling into the warmth that the bed brought. "If I could get just one nom into the finals, I'd be happy; heck, I'd prolly faint in shock! But I really want 'neb to clean up," she giggled. "He'd be so happy," she smiled as she pulled her quilt up to her neck, the snow outside starting up again, swirling in twisting spirals on fierce winds, and whistling as it danced past her window. Before she fell asleep, she spent a fitful few minutes wondering how her grades were.

"'neb would tell me not to worry, 'cause I'd likely aced them,' she whispered. "I wish I was as confident in me as he is," she smiled as she fell asleep, dreaming of Middleton shopping and Peach Fried Pie.

-----

"Are you and Ran-san going to assist in the creation of the polls, Mikey?" her voice was music to his ears, and her shoulders were heaven to touch.

"I'm not certain, Ino, but we've offered to assist him," he replied as he kneaded her shoulders, drawing a moan from her mouth.

'So nice, he has been to me,' Ino thought with an inward smile. 'His hands are so strong, yet so warm and tender: he could work in the flower shop and never anger the blooms.

'He's always more concerned with my comfort than his own. How did I find this wonderful young man?' she asked herself as his fingers found that muscle, and she moaned her approval.

"Are you all right, Ino?" he stopped as soon as she made that pained sound.

"I am fine, Mikey. Please, continue: you found that muscle I was telling you about," she smiled and grimaced as he assaulted it with his fingers.

"That's a muscle? It felt like a mass," he replied.

"It was extremely tight, Mikey."

"Well," Mike grinned as he reached for the heat massager, "We'll just have to do something about that," he clicked it on and placed it on the offending muscle.

"How will youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu," she felt that her entire body was shaking and warming from that singular point on her back.

He left it on the muscle for about three minutes before he moved it when she twitched.

"Was that all right?" Mike asked, and Ino smiled away from Mike's look.

"I would marry that device and have its children, if I could," Mike blushed as he placed the massager down and reached for the lotion. Squirting a dollop on his hand, he rubbed his hands together, warming the lotion, and placed his hands on her back.

Ino squealed, then smiled as Mike proceeded to give her the massage she'd always dreamt of.

-----

Ace Ian Combat laughed as she read the email from Wade.

"An email from Dr. Wade Load: now, there's something my friends would _**never**_ believe!"

"Dear Ace," his email began, and she giggled.

"I got your address from 'neb, and he told me what you and he are planning. I have only one comment about your plan:

"**Please, please, please**, let me be a part of this! This is great!

"I've already taken the liberty to ship you some items in your sizes (hey, if I can scan KP for the battlesuit, scanning you is 'no big,' but please don't tell Joss: I'll tell her when we pick you up so she knows why I did it)," Ace laughed as she could hear Wade pleading in her head.

"Ace," her mom came in with a package, "this is from a _**Blaze**_**IT!** **Logistics**; is that who I think it is?" Her mom grinned as she placed the box on the bed.

"It is, Mom," she laughed as she opened the package and squealed as she pulled out the white coat and stethoscope, then the faux Pradas with the 1-inch heel, and then the classic purple dress.

"Doesn't-" her mom started, and Ace nodded with a grin as she lifted the divider and squealed even louder when she saw the cargos and the purple top.

"Ace, just what _**are**_ you planning to do over there?" her mom asked, and Ace explained the plan as she tried on the cargos and purple top: perfect fits, what a surprise.

Her mom, when Ace was finished, was laughing hard and beaming.

"Daughter, I want pictures of you from all that, please and thank you," she smiled, and Ace hugged her mother while wearing the lab coat.

"I will, Momma, I will," she whispered.

'I've still got to pick a dress!' she thought…'later,' she put it off….

-----

"No, Mom, you can't go, either," Kathrine Elizabeth Load laughed for the millionth time, and Tara managed to stand up, holding her stomach carrying her upcoming children.

"It's not a 'time stream' sitch, but Wade's concerned about your pregnancy; by the way, his Joss is jellin', and his Tara is looking at him in a **completely** different manner," Kathrine continued, and her Dad laughed.

"Darn it," Tara grimaced as Wade took her arm and helped her back to a comfortable standing position.

"Thanks, Dad, for the old PosComm: it looks like the ones from that time period, but they won't be able to contact multiple dimensions that effortlessly for another few years," Kathrine looked back at her dad, over her shoulder, and blew him a kiss.

"Now, you'll have to remember not to poke the natives or give away any technical secrets," Wade reminded her.

"No worries, Dad: the clothes will be from period materials and designs, the luggage is National Tourista, and you know they've not changed a design in 75 years," she laughed, "and I got the camera from your collection, so I think we're safe."

"That Probable character is a 'possible' problem," Wade started, and Kathrine laughed her dad off.

"I know, Daddy, I know: The question he'll need to ask, though," Kathrine balled her fists and put them on her hips in an 'Aunt Kim' pose, "is 'is he smarter than a sixth grader from the future?'"

"Poor Grimm," Tara laughed.

-----

"Is she ready, Lindsey?"

"She's ready, Wade: the flight plan has been filed in this 'verse, and they've taken care of the cross-verses for us, too," Lindsey smiled. She hadn't been looking forward to trying to explain to people in different dimensions why she needed a flight plan, especially in Zaratan's 'verse and with all the countries they were going to cross. "The interior has been re-installed to 'people transport," she grinned: people were definitely being 'transported' in style and comfort.

"We've got the plan filed, we've got re-fueling capabilities in place in all 'verses, now, and we're ready when you make the call, with a 12-hour notice."

"Who's your co-pilot, Lin?" Wade knew, from a leak from Mother-in-law-To-Be, who it would be, but he wanted to see Lin smile.

"Will," she said simply, and she didn't crack a smile. "You wanted to see my reaction, didn't you, Wade?"

"Honestly, yes, I did," Wade confessed.

"I suspected when Dr. Director assigned the both of us to the flight; actually, the three of us, because Rebecca Jane's been assigned as the other long-distance pilot required by mission. She did refuse to wear the flight attendant uniform, though," Lindsey laughed.

"Can't say as I blame her," Wade joined her in the laughter.

"Have you talked to 'neb lately?" Lindsey asked.

"Last night, as a matter of fact: he's waiting for the last round of voting to be announced, and he's quite anxious, as is King in Yellow: between the two of them, they have a mess of unique nominations, but neither of them has any idea of their standing in the votes."

"Friday will be interesting for them, then, indeed," Lindsey smiled.

"Indeed," Wade nodded, remembering how he and Joss had left Sarah in much better condition than when they found her.

"Oh, and…?" Wade grinned, and Lindsey laughed as she nodded.

"Yes, Wade, we're got the sparkling grape juice in the special containers in the storage facility, all chilled and ready to load before we take off."

"Good," he smiled. 'This is going to be an interesting sitch,' he thought as he and Lindsey headed out of the hanger, the silver-and-blue jet parked, as if standing guard over the entrance to its new world.

-----

**Author's afterward:**

Even the 'actors' are interested in the outcome of the Round 1 voting, some taking it better than others, especially if they've been through it before…very much like their writer counterparts.

Thanks to everyone for your confirmation that I re-created you accurately. My heartfelt thanks go out to pinkymint and Slyrr for their contributions, and to Ace Ian Combat, Akinyi, and Mike Industries and assistance in the creation of this chapter.

Enjoy your read, and enjoy this story as we continue our preparation for the Fannies and our trip to Middleton for the 3rd Annual Fannies.

-----

Remember the Fannies, and vote in this first round for your favorites in the following categories:

Best Writer

Best New Writer (first KP story published in 2007)

Best Story Overall

Best Series Overall

Best One-shot Overall

Best Novel-sized Story Overall (100,000 words or more)

Best Comedy

Best Romance

Best Action/Adventure

Best Drama

Best Crossover/Fusion

Best K/R Story

Best Kigo Story

Best Alternative Pairing Story (Ron/Bon, Kim/Drakken, Shego/Barkin etc.)

Best Original Character

Best Minor Character

Best AU Story

Best Original Character Name (Following the KP naming scheme)

Best Villain

Best Songfic

Best Young Author

Best Short Story

Best Writing Team

I'd appreciate votes for my works, but, even more importantly, vote, period. Send you completed ballot before end-of day January 31 to Zaratan via PM or via email at on_** Road Trip**_

**P1, C4: Final packing, and takeoff**

-----

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

-----

2008.01.30


	4. P1C4: Final packing, and takeoff

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

A bit of a surprise for Jocelyn, and an adventure for all

-----

**P1, C4: Final packing, and takeoff**

-----

Wade relaxed in his chair as the engines revved the final time before takeoff and smiled at Joss, who was staring out of the jet's window.

'Her jet's window,' Wade grinned inside as he thought about the weeks' events that led to this moment:

-----

He had deliberately avoided any news on the final round nominations, having Wade-C screen it so he wouldn't hear anything.

Unfortunately, Wade-C didn't screen Sarah's screams of delight from her house.

"She must have gotten a nom," Wade smiled as he turned out the light and closed his eyes.

The banging on his door woke him, and he looked at the clock: 3:10 AM.

"I hate that time," he laughed as he got up, pulled on his robe, and went to the door and opened it.

He was slammed by a red-headed cruise missile, and she was blubbering and followed by an auburn-headed one a bit older than the first, but also blubbering.

"All right, who's going first?" Wade laughed as the two ladies tried to step on each other's sentences.

"I'll go, Joss, so you can have some time with 'your man' after I thank him properly," Sarah grinned, and wade gulped.

"Two, Wade: TWO!

"One for Best Minor Character in the Blue Eyes, Shining series, and the other one for Best Original Character Name in the same series!" Sarah's eyes sparkled, and Wade was sp-very-happy for her, finally being recognized for once. "I wanted one nomination, Wade, but TWO! TWO? They really like me!" She yelled.

"Congratulations, Sarah, you deserve all of them," Joss replied, more than a bit antsy to tell Wade her own news.

"Wade," Joss said simply, and she stepped to him and kissed him with a passion he'd never received from her before.

'COLD SHOWER!" was his only thought as parts of his body reacted in joy, but not to the idea of the shower.

"Aggie, we got two nominations in the Best Alternative Pairing category, one for each of Blue Eyes, Shining and Define, Hell," Joss murmured into his ear. "And, you were nominated for Best Minor Character for Define Hell series," she added as she nibbled on his ear, "and you were nominated in Best Romance for that Christmas story with you and Tara and Kathrine," Joss giggled as she nibbled on his ear.

"Are you still mad at me for that, Joss?" Wade asked, and she responded in a way that told him that her answer was a most definite 'No.'

"So, we can 'Classic Cowboy' ourselves, huh?" Wade laughed, and Sarah looked perplexed.

"Classic Cowboy was a writer that was nominated so many times in some categories that, in total vote counts, he would have one, but he beat himself to the votes and didn't win the prize: that's why they named the syndrome after him," Wade explained.

"So, I take it that 'neb did pretty well in the voting?"

"15, Wade," Sarah said simply, and Wade stared in shock.

"No, really, how many entries does he have in the finals? Joss and I are not considered separate entries."

"15," she repeated.

"Oh.

"My.

"Goodness," Wade managed to get out the words before Joss re-captured his lips, and he saw Sarah wave goodbye with a grin as she closed the door on the way out.

-----

He remembered what 'neb had been nominated for as he re-read the list one last time as the jet lifted from the tarmac:

Best Author

Best Series Overall - Blue Eyes Shining series, and Define Hell series

Best One-Shot – Define, Hell II: the original – cpneb

Best Romance - ilyiw: Christmas with my New Daddy

Best K/R - Birth, and Rebirth 05: Scarlet Innocence

Best Alternative Pairing - Joss/Wade, for both the Blue Eyes Shining and Define Hell series

Best Original Character - Kathrine Elizabeth Load

Best Minor Character – Sarah Janine Best – Blue Eyes Shining series, and Wade - Define Hell series

Best AU Story – Define, Hell IV: Changes, and Christmas

Best Original Character Name - Sarah Janine Best – Blue Eyes Shining series

Best Short Story – Blue Eyes Shining 8:Always, love

Best Writing Team - Birth, and Rebirth 00: My Eyes Adored You - cpneb/jakt

Wade had to call 'neb and see if he was still breathing: he was, but he was telling Wade to look at the table numbers: over 50 of the nominations were represented at the table.

"Mikey was right, in his own accidental way: it is a Table of Power," Wade laughed, and the two men discussed the fact that Kathrine would be extremely happy on the flight.

Then, Wade got the news about Mike's accident, and he almost called Anne for a favor, but he held on for a bit, and it all worked out.

"Ino was a wreck for those few days when he was in the hospital, but she made up for it when he got out," Wade laughed. He had never heard a bigger smile on anyone's voice since Ino had told him that Mike was all right.

Wade looked around the plane: Rebecca, Stephen, Fletcher, Jennifer, Joss, Sarah…and the former members of the MHS cheer squad: Crystal, Hope, Jessica, Liz, Tara. Rebecca Jane, Lindsey, and Will were the crew and along for the ride, literally and figuratively, taking them all on this 'road trip' to the other 'planes' and back.

'Here we go,' he thought as the jet slammed forward.

-----

cpneb rolled his suitcase and briefcase out of the house and headed for the curb. The car pulled up, as if by magic, and the door opened automatically. A WadeBot grabbed his luggage, and he stepped into the vehicle to see –

"Surprise, 'neb," the voice came from the front seat console, Wade'e picture appearing on the dash monitor.

"You just couldn't resist, could you, Wade?" 'neb laughed as the car slipped forward and stopped after a few moments at the elementary school parking lot down the alley from his house. The jet sat there in its glory, and neb stepped out of the vehicle and grabbed his cane.

"Allow me, sir," the chair pulled up behind him and gently allowed him to sit as is took him up the ramp and into the jet.

"'neb on deck!" Will announced from the cockpit with a laugh, and 'neb stood from the chair and smiled as Andrea Jocelyn Possible stepped forward with a yellow rose in her hand.

"Welcome, 'neb," she grinned and handed him the rose, then grabbed him in a hug that, in 'neb's mind, could have been the last thing that he experienced before he died, and he would have died a happy man.

He was wrong, though: it wouldn't be the last thing….

Wade's hug was a manly hug, and his handshake showed that he's matured in the past year. Rebecca Jane Casey hugged him and laughed when she let him go as he blushed. Lindsey didn't make matters any easier, either: she was in a short navy-blue GJ skirt with her tailored GJ flight jacket.

Rebecca, Fletcher, Jennifer, and Stephen all greeted him, but they all turned and went back to their seats, including Joss and Wade, leaving 'neb and Sarah alone.

"Thank you," Sarah started, but she was stopped by 'neb's kiss of her extended hand.

"Congratulations, Sarah: you deserve every nomination you got," he smiled, and that broke through the veneer she had up as she grabbed him and hugged him, crying tears of joy the entire time as 'neb held her and patted her back.

"And thank you, dear lady; I just hope you won't leave me when you win," 'neb laughed, and the lights flashed, notifying everyone that the luggage was stowed and they were ready for takeoff.

"'NEB!" he was assaulted by the members of the cheer squad, and he gave in to their advances with a smile as Crystal, Hope, Jessica, Liz, and Tara all squeezed him and smothered him in kisses.

"I'm ready to die happy, now," 'neb laughed as the ladies laughed, looking at the lipstick they'd left all over 'neb's face.

The ladies parted, and 'neb was looking into a semi-mirror. 'At least, what I _**wish**_ I looked like,' he grinned as he saluted Dr. Commander Charles Percival Nebulon Adams, Global Justice. C. P. returned the salute, and the two men hugged each other.

"Welcome aboard, 'neb,'" C. P. spoke, and 'neb was surprised that their voices were exact duplicates.

"Thank you, Commander," 'neb replied, and C. P. was surprised that their voices were exact duplicates.

'neb took his seat at the table with C. P., Joss, Wade, and Sarah, fastened his seat belt, and nodded to Wade. "You've got all the clearances, I assume?"

"Of course," Wade laughed, "it's just that some of them in your 'verse look a bit 'unique,'" Wade replied, and 'neb didn't ask.

Joss handed 'neb a towelette to clean his face, Wade punched a button at his seat, and the plane lifted gently and took off for the next stop: an alternate future with Kathrine Elizabeth Load.

-----

Kathrine stood outside her front door, holding her mom's hand as the jet gently set down and the ramp lowered. The door opened, and an older curly-haired man stood at the entrance with a smile and outstretched arms.

"Miss Load," he spoke, and Kathrine dropped her luggage and ran up the ramp, screaming "NEB!" She slammed into him, and he lifted her and twirled her in the air, laughing and crying with her, all at the same time.

"Hello, Miss Load, and congratulations," 'neb smiled as he hugged her and then waved at the pregnant Tara. "I promise we'll keep her safe, Mrs. Load," neb called out to her, and Tara waved as the ramp retracted for the takeoff.

"Hello, almost-daughter," Tara grinned as Kathrine came into the cabin.

"Hello, almost-daughter," Wade laughed, and Kathrine ran and hugged them both.

"'neb, why is it that Wade attracts the women, no matter where he is?" Joss asked with a mock-scowl on her face as she got her hug from Kathrine.

"Joss, your son is H-O-T HOT!" Kathrine exclaimed, but then blushed when she realized what she had said.

"Oops," she grinned.

"That's my line, Kathrine," Joss laughed and hugged her once again.

-----

"Are you ready, darling daughter?" JA asked, and kt sighed.

"Of course, Daddy."

"Are you, really?" he prodded, and kt finally admitted the truth:

"No, Daddy: my stomach is doing the tango with Frugal Lucre and the Angst Monster, and it's not a pretty sight," she admitted as the jet came into view and landed in front of them. The ramp extended, and the door at the top of the stairs opened to reveal –

KT laughed at the three individuals holding signs:

One sign, held by a man in uniform, said "Not cpneb."

Another sign, held by a man in a suit and brandishing a jet-black cane, said "Not Kathrine."

The final sign, held by a young woman that appeared to be kt's age, said "Not Dr. Adams."

JA laughed as his daughter ran up the ramp and hugged all three of the people at the top of the ramp, a group hug that all of them wanted to last forever.

JA looked down as the WadeBot grabbed their luggage and saluted him before floating to the cargo bay. JA sighed and headed up the ramp with a smile on his face. C. P. had stepped away from the hug and was now facing JA with a huge smile on his face.

"Commander," JA saluted.

"JA," Dr. Adams returned JA's salute, then extended his hand and shook JA's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you: officially, of course," C. P. grinned.

"Same to you, sir," JA grinned, and the two turned to the two young ladies and 'neb.

Kathrine and kt were looking each over and giggling, pointing out the minor differences in their appearance while ignoring the obvious difference. 'neb was standing and smiling at the two almost-twins, but then he was assaulted by both the young ladies in a major hug-fest.

JA looked at his watch and laughed. "45 seconds: that took longer than I expected. How about you?"

"I thought it would be about 25 seconds, but I suppose that Kathrine threw my calculations off," C. P. grinned.

"Hello, my adopted goddaughters," 'neb managed to get the words out through his tears.

"Hello, extra-Dad," Kathrine laughed through her tears.

"I like that, Kathrine: extra-Dad: that's a great description of this wonderful man," kt laughed through her tears.

"Perfect name, 'neb," JA smiled as he walked up to him, and 'neb and JA shook hands, then hugged.

"Thank you, JA, for everything," 'neb smiled.

"'No big, 'neb-ster,'" JA replied, and the group headed back into the jet to meet everyone.

"BE4000 detected," Will Du laughed as he stepped from the cockpit to shake hands with JA and kt.

"Hello, young lady," C. P. smiled, and kt turned around and grew a smile that was the size of the jet itself.

"C. P.!" she yelled as she ran and jumped into his arms.

"Don't ask, 'neb: you'll never rank with him, especially after the past few months: he owes her, big time," JA laughed.

"Kinda like **I** owe **you**, JA?" he tried to turn at the mention of his name, but -.

"You didn't forget about **me**, did you?" a pair of hands covered ja's eyes, and C. P. smiled as ja replied:

"Of course not, Sarah: and, congratulations, dear lady," ja smiled as Sarah came in front of him, smiling and crying and hugging him, all at the same time.

"I just can't win," 'neb whined, and Crystal silenced him with a hug.

"Thanks, 'neb, for everything," Crystal smiled as she pulled away, a hint of her tears still on her face.

"booyah," 'neb grinned when he was finally able to breathe once again. "Double-S is gonna be one very, very happy Finn," 'neb laughed as C. P. finally put kt down, and they both headed back to a separate table, joined by Crystal and Tara.

-----

whitem was a bit nervous.

"It's not because of Crystal's 'threat' to thank me," he told himself for the thousandth time, and then he grinned. "It's got to be the jet," he rationalized.

"Are you certain?" a voice came from behind him, and whitem felt a pair of hands wrap around his waist and some 'things' push against his back. He looked down and saw beautiful, slender fingers that led up to sleek, powerful arms….

"I'm certain," whitem smiled, and he managed to turn around and found a pair of eyes and lips that he was quite familiar with.

After he was able to breathe, he spoke: "Hello, Tara," he laughed as he faked doubling over from a punch, but his head was lifted up by another pair of lovely slender fingers.

"Hello, whitem," he looked into the eyes before his mouth was forced into unconditional surrender.

He went willingly.

Finally, before he was able to breathe again, she spoke first.

"Thank you, whitem, for everything: you are truly a gentleman, and a tasty one, as well," Crystal smiled as she licked her lips.

"Let **me** be the judge of that," Liz grinned as she stuck out her hand, and whitem shook it. She smiled and hugged him, and whitem sniffed.

"You, too?" he smiled, and Joss and Wade laughed when Liz blushed and nodded.

"It seems to sorta be expected of the redheads in Middleton, especially after Kim made it so famous," Liz explained, but whitem shushed her mouth with a finger at her lips.

"On you, it smells divine," he replied, and Wade made a slam-dunk motion when Liz smiled.

"Thank you," a young voice caught whitem's attention, and he turned around to see Kathrine Elizabeth Load standing in front of him, holding both a plastic and real yellow rose and a jar or –

"Not the grape!" whitem moaned, and the jet laughed as a single unit.

-----

Ran looked at his suitcase and himself in the glass reflection of the door.

'Why would she even want to be seen with me?' he asked himself.

"Perhaps, Ran, it's because I like you," a decidedly feminine voice came from behind him, and he smiled as he sniffed and smelled that lovely and familiar fragrance that belonged to only one woman he knew.

"Hello, -" Ran never had a chance.

"Ran?" Ran was looking up, and he had no idea how or why he was flat on his back. "Are you all right?"

Tara looked down on him and smiled. "Ran, are you OK? You passed out, for some reason," and Ran grinned as he picked himself up from the tarmac and brushed himself off.

"Gee, Tara, I wonder why: someone like you kisses me, and I'll pass out every time," Ran smiled, and Tara decided to test the theory once again; Ran remained vertical, this time.

"Will a hug do the same thing?" Ran turned around and saw a bevy of beauties and stepped backward into the side of the jet.

"I'd better use this for support, just in case," Ran laughed, and he was first attacked by kt and Kathrine with their own version of Hug-Fest 2008.

"Can I at least greet our guest, ladies: at least while he's still getting oxygen to the brain?" 'neb laughed, and Ran and 'neb shook hands and exchanged manly hugs, and then Ran met C. P., JA, Wade, and Will Du.

-----

"Yes, I'm leaving the house clean, and I've left you some ribs in the 'fridge so you don't have to cook the next two nights," Star told his wife, talking to her after she called from her new job to see if he'd left yet.

"Yes, I'll be good," he laughed, and her laugh could be heard over the phone, "and, I'll even bring you some of the Pie," he added, and she whispered something into the phone that made Star blush through his beard.

"All right, I'll get Sato to send an entire pan back with me," and the moan could be heard over the doorbell.

"Door, dear: gotta go. Love you," he clicked his cell off as he walked to the front door and opened it to –

"Don't you know to never open a door like that? You don't know if 'there be bunnies' out there, in here," the young woman grinned, and Star recognized her immediately.

"Hello, kt," he held out his arms, and he was assaulted by the young woman with a fresh hug.

"Save some for me, kt: I've got to get to the Hallway," another young woman's voice, and a hand spun Star around -

"Hello, Joss," Star smiled as Joss hugged him and kissed his neck.

'Whoa, Nellie, he's a hunk! Where has 'neb been hidin' this one?' Joss blushed as she hugged Star tighter, continuing her blush growth cycle.

'Kim wasn't kidding,' Tara thought when Star stepped into the cabin.

'Southern beefcake, au jus,' Jessica giggled inside. 'How did I miss him? Oh, I know: campy,' she blushed, thinking about her plan….

"Hello, ladies," Star spoke, and Wade groaned silently.

'Southern charm; now I know why Kim keeps playing back those voice clips of Star's conversations with 'neb, even though I have no idea where she got them,' Wade laughed inside.

"Hey, Star," he knew that voice far too well….

"Hello, 'neb," Star grabbed the outstretched hand and shook it vigorously. "You still owe me lots of Pie for the wife for not taking 'Hallway,' and writing it yourself," Star smiled, and 'neb just laughed in reply.

"You _**know**_ you really wanted to write it, all along, Star," 'neb headed for his seat, and they all strapped themselves in, in preparation for takeoff, but not before Kathrine Load bounced on Star's lap and laughed as Star reddened underneath his beard.

**-----**

**Author's afterward:**

It's almost time for multiple things: for the end of part one of this story, and the start of the 3rd Annual Fannies celebration.

Thank you, to all of the voters, readers, writers, and lurkers, for making this year a year to remember in KP Fanfictiondom.

The Fannies are almost here, so who won? We'll find out on Saturday, and the after-party occurs after the last ceremony is complete….Part 2 of 'Road Trip,' that is.

-----

Next, on_** Road Trip**_

**P1, C5: pickups, and fun in Middleton…**

-----

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

-----

2008.02.20


	5. P1C5: pickups, and fun in Middleton…

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

A bit of a surprise for Jocelyn, and an adventure for all

-----

**P1, C5: pickups, and fun in Middleton…**

-----

Wade relaxed in his chair as the engines revved the final time before takeoff and smiled at Joss. She squeezed his hand. They couldn't believe that was actually happening.

They had picked up cpneb, Kathrine Elizabeth Load (Wade and Tara's daughter from an alternate future), ja and kt, whitem, Ran, and Star, adding to an already filled jet: Rebecca, Stephen, Fletcher, Jennifer, Joss, Sarah, former members of the MHS cheer squad (Crystal, Hope, Jessica, Liz, Tara), along with the crew: Rebecca Jane, Lindsey, and Will.

'Everyone we've picked up has a nomination, not to mention the ones that Sarah, Sweet Tea and I have,' Wade grinned.

He wished that Cajunbear73 and Pharaoh Rutin Tutin had made the finals: both of them seemed a bit nervous when they were picked up and taken to the airport, and Wade could see it in their face as he watched them from the remotely-controlled car he's sent for them. He wasn't sure if it was the nominations, the car, or the trip that made them nervous.

'Well, Joss and Sarah answered that question for me,' he grinned when they greeted CajunBear73 and PRT, respectively. CB, Wade had started to mentally abbreviate his name for a bit, had succumbed to Sweet Tea's charms, and 'Sarah grabbed PRT's attention...well, she grabbed some part of him' he recalled when he watched Sarah hug and kiss PRT. 'She is still surprised that anyone but Chip, 'neb, ja, CP, and I care about her; I hope she's getting the message.

'PRT certainly got the message,' Wade laughed inside as he looked over at the smile on his face. He and Sarah were still holding hands, and she was _**still**_ talking to him. 'It doesn't seem to bother him in the least, though,' Wade grinned.

The trans-Atlantic flight was smooth and quick and airspace clearances went smoothly; 'Wade certain has covered his bases,' 'neb smiled as the crossed into Finnish airspace.

-----

Sir Sebastian looked worried as he adjusted his glasses, standing just inside his front door. He had Crystal on his mind, and she had driven him to as much distraction as Joss had to Wade.

'That can't be possible,' he thought to himself, then he caught himself wondering just how real she was, and a hint of blush crossed his face as his mind contemplated the possibilities…

A pair of hands covered his eyes, another wrapped around his waist, and a third placed a cloth over his mouth….

…he woke up, sitting in his chair, staring at three ladies, all wearing cheerleading outfits that he's only seen on television.

'I've died and gone to Heaven, and there are no Swedes there to vex me so,' he chuckled inside as Crystal sauntered over and sat in his lap.

"Good day, Sir Sebastian," Crystal spoke in perfect Finnish. "I hope I don't disappoint you by coming in this outfit, but we thought you'd like it," she giggled, and the sound was that of fine ice crystals falling onto a fine silver platter, the tinkling reminding him of so many pleasant thoughts….

"Wait: you speak my language? How?" He looked into her eyes and felt he was losing his soul.

"Practice, just as you learned mine, you wonderful man, you," Crystal snuggled up into his chest, and Sir Sebastian wondered when he would have to wake from this dream. "You write wonderfully, and I just wanted to return the favor by greeting you in your language."

"Just being here is more than favor enough, Crystal," Sir Sebastian stated calmly, and Hope and Tara laughed.

"Are you kidding, Double-S?" Tara smiled as she pulled Crystal off of his lap and pulled him to his feet for a non-manly hug. "Ever since she ended up with two dates, Crys has been a basket case. It takes a real man to forgive a woman he's never met for something like that: you, sir, are a real man," Tara gently kissed Sir Sebastian's lips, and he smiled as she pulled back.

"Are you ladies finished taking the blood from his scalp?" 'neb laughed, and he, Ran, and PRT all gang-tackled Sir Sebastian into a gigantic group hug.

"Hyk! Hey, guy!" Sir Sebastian looked down, and Rufus ran and jumped up onto his shoulder.

"Rufus!" 'neb called "Where did you come from?"

"Nap time on jet," Rufus grinned as he hugged Sir Sebastian's face.

"Rugo Rocks!" he squeaked, and the room broke into uproarious laughter.

-----

The jump to the United Kingdom was brief, and the pickup of Darth Comrade was uneventful; uneventful, perhaps, except for the extra lipstick that the ladies had to make a side-trip to the chemist for.

'Pinkymint,' Wade thought as he saw her sitting with her legs crossed and leaning forward, conversing animatedly with a totally-mesmerized C. P., 'has actually managed to do the impossible: get C. P.'s mind off both Betty **and** his ex, for the first time in a long time. He knows she's happily married, and he would not to cause what happened to him, but he is most definitely enjoying her company.'

"Aggie?" Joss snuggled up next to Wade, and he smiled as the chairs merged into a single large seat with separate seat belts."

"Yes, dear?"

"Who's next?"

"campy, for a stopover for Jessica, and then Akinyi," Wade replied, and Joss smiled.

"Poor 'neb," she said calmly, and Wade barely managed to hold his laugh in as the jet chased the sunset.

-----

'campy was listening to Shostakovich's Festive Overture when the doorbell rang.

He growled when he shut off the music and walked over to the door, peeking outside but seeing no one.

The bell rang again, and he flung the door open.

The young woman was standing there in a simple dress, flats, and a bouquet of roses in her hand.

"I don't know, Jessica," campy smiled as she handed him the roses and slammed a hug into him, her tears soaking his shoulders and his shirt.

"Please, come with me, campy: I have a dress that I want you to see, and I bought it especially for you to enjoy," she continued to cry.

"Pwease, campy," he made the mistake of looking at her, and she had mastered the 'Possible PDP.'

He gave her a simple, almost imperceptible nod, and she cried and soaked his shirt even more.

-----

Akinyi looked one more time around her room with trepidation.

"Why am I so nervous?" she said to no one, and got the expected answer.

'What will 'neb really think of me? I'm nowhere near the person he thinks I am, but he continues to have my back all the time,' she thought.

"Why am I so worried about what he thinks about me?"

"Maybe, just maybe, it's because you care about him the same way he cares about you," a voice came from the door, and Akinyi spun around and laughed.

The young woman, likely 12, was holding a weapon as large as she was, and it smelled of…

"Grapes," Akinyi laughed, and she and kt slammed into each other, crying and hugging, laughing and crying, and just plain crying…

"Hello, hero," they both said at the same time.

"Jinx! You both owe me a hug," an older man's voice rang out, and Akinyi turned and saw the other half, wearing a worn fedora.

"ja," he opened his arms, and she ran into them and got a hug that she was sure was the reason that kt was nominated for Best Young Writer.

"So?" Akinyi asked as the Wadebot picked up her suitcase. "Where is he?" She asked, and kt laughed.

"He's where any man would be where you're concerned, Akinyi: hiding in the jet, afraid he'll disappoint you," kt smiled, and Akinyi lost it.

"He's**WHAT**!" She laughed so hard that she doubled over, but those laughs quickly turned into tears as she lifted her head.

"He's scared that he'll disappoint me?" she said incredulously. "'neb, disappoint me? Has he been drinking too much of Joss' sparking grape juice?"

"No, he hasn't," ja smiled as he looked into Akinyi's eyes. "'neb-ster is one person that you and lots of others see, but kt and I have seen an entirely different person: the man who worries about his family during his now-lifelong-illness, the writer who worries about every comma, the man who worries about the opinion of young people because others cared about him.

"It short,' Akinyi, 'neb is a softy with a heart of gold, and he'd give up every award if he even suspected that you were embarrassed or disappointed in him, just because of who he is, of what he looks like," ja continued, and Akinyi looked up at him in disbelief.

"The man who, almost single-handedly, drug most of us, kicking and screaming, into the writing world, is so worried about how I'd feel about being seen with him that he's hiding from _**ME**_?" Akinyi stared, and ja nodded.

"Well, then, I guess I'd better get out there and straighten this sitch out," Akinyi stated categorically as she stormed out of her room.

kt looked up at her dad and grinned.

"Told you," she smiled, and ja smiled back.

"I hoped you were right, dear darling daughter."

-----

"'Neb, you got some **'splainin'** to do!" Akinyi yelled as she bounded up the ramp of the jet and turned right - –

and stopped at the picture in front of her as sound slapped her in the face:

"Happy Birth-day to you!

"Happy Birth-day to you!

"Happy Birth-day, dear Akinyi,

"Happy Birth-day to you!

The noisemakers sounded, and the cheers and shouts came from the filled cabin, and the streamers and crepe paper fell from the ceiling of the jet.

"Wha-," she started, then she felt her face redden.

'Already! My gosh I haven't even met him yet, and I'm already blushing! How does he manage to do it, over and over and over again?"

"Gotcha," kt laughed from behind her, and Akinyi spun around and grabbed her, hugging her for all she was worth.

"**HEY**! Not so tight: I want to make it to 12!" kt laughed as her tears fell on Akinyi's jacket.

"Happy birthday, Akinyi," Wade and Joss both walked up to her and grabbed her into a hug, and that started the hugs from everyone. The sparkling grape juice and cake flowed for at least 30 minutes.

Akinyi forgot until near the very end, and then she grabbed C. P. and started to ask, but he placed a finger to her lips and led her to the rear of the plane. Knocking on the door, he opened it and ushered Akinyi into the room.

"Hey there, birthday girl," 'neb spoke in the almost-darkness.

"'neb, what in the world are you doing back here by yourself?"

"I wanted you to have a good birthday party, and my being there would only have been a distraction to you," he said, but Akinyi was certain that she heard a sniffle come from him.

'Like Ron,' she thought, and she smiled.

"How would you being at my party be a distraction, 'neb?"

"Akinyi, I…never mind, it just would have been," he replied.

"That's not important, 'neb, and you know that. You know how I feel about you, guy, and that'll never change."

"Are you certain, Akinyi?" the lights came on, and Akinyi smiled at the man standing in the center of the room, in front of the desk, his frame supported by a walker, looking older and tired and…scared?

"This is me, Akinyi, in this 'verse: not much to look at, I know, but it's all I can offer."

"It's more than enough for me, adopted godfather: you love me and care about me: what more would I ever want from a father and a friend?" Akinyi smiled, and it was 'neb's turn to have his defenses shatter into microscopic glass shards with every word he heard. He seemed, to Akinyi, to get 20 years younger as she spoke, and pushed his walker away and grabbed his signature polished black cane, twirling it once with a huge grin on his face. She decided to close the gap, and she ran to him.

The two friends, one just 16, and the other 10 years under an age-reversal, hugged and shed tears for their friendship.

When they separated, 'neb looked her over and grinned.

"This is so not fair," he grinned. "I think you've been playing 'Dorian Gray' with me as your target," and Akinyi laughed.

"I think it's been the opposite: you've even had me thinking about my future more lately."

"Good." He stepped back and looked down at her legs. "How is the ankle?"

"It's fine, 'Daddy,'" Akinyi giggled, and 'neb walked to the back of the desk and brought out a small package.

"For you: happy birthday, Akinyi," he handed it to her, and she looked down at it in her hands and then looked up, tears forming in her eyes.

"Awwww, 'neb, you didn't have to," she grinned as she ripped the package open.

"You're right: I didn't **have** to: I **wanted** to," he corrected her. "Only the best for my adopted goddaughters," and she grew totally silent as she opened the small box to reveal –

-----

Wade heard the squeal come from the office, mainly because he had his ear to the ground, so to speak.

"Are you listening to them, Wade?" C. P. grinned as he walked up to the young man whose hands were actually not busy exploring for a change.

"I think she liked it," "Wade grinned.

Akinyi came walking out of the room with a smile on her face and a dried tear on her cheek. 'neb came out a few moments later with a smile on his face, and he reached forward and touched Akinyi's shoulder. She turned around.

"Where's my piece of cake?" he asked.

Akinyi was only too happy to comply, and 'neb was soon standing with a slice of birthday cake shoved into his mouth, grape-colored icing dribbling down the sides and onto the floor.

"But," Wade observed later, "both of them were smiling, so I think that they both got over their fear of rejection by the other."

"Why would 'neb ever think that Akinyi wouldn't want to be his friend after she met him?" Joss asked; she watched the two of them sit at 'neb's table and begin to talk in earnest.

"Joss, dear, it's an adult thing: 'neb was afraid that Akinyi wouldn't want to be seen with an old black man at the Fannies, even though she'd told him that neither his color nor his age didn't matter more times than she could count."

"How would you know?"

"She had to talk to someone, Joss, so we exchanged emails on occasion. She told me how she felt about 'neb, race and handicap and age and all, and that she was worried, at one time, that he might be a bit 'strange,'" Wade said, and Joss laughed, "but she began to recognize that 'neb only had her best interest at heart, that he honestly cared for her success and wanted her to be successful and happy.

"Kinda like he feels about us, Sweet Tea," Wade wrapped an arm around Joss' shoulder and puller her closer to him.

"I know," Joss replied. "Wade, how did we get so lucky?"

"Ask the fish in my room, Sweet Tea" Wade replied dryly, and Joss smiled up at him and did nothing in response; that worried Wade more than anything she would have done.

-----

Akinyi watched 'neb sleep, and she smiled at the sight.

"He's exhausted, and he needs to watch his energy levels, anyway," she had told Joss when C. P. and Wade led the tired 'neb back to the rear lounge to lie down on the couch 'for just a minute,' 'neb had said, but C. P. told Akinyi when he returned that he needed at least 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

"You really do love him, don't you?" Joss smiled at Akinyi. She started to protest, but Joss crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her tall-boot-covered right foot, and Akinyi grinned.

"I wish I could find a guy my age like him; I'd marry him in an instant," Akinyi grinned.

"I thought I'd never meet anyone like Wade, and then I met 'neb," Joss smiled.

"I never thought I'd ever meet anyone, and then I met 'neb, and then I met Chip, and then," Sarah grinned.

"'campy," Jessica grinned and blushed at the same time.

"Star," came from the lips of Crystal, Jessica, Hope, and Tara, all at the same time, and they all giggled.

"Anne," ja shot out, and he blushed when his daughter laughed.

"Mikey," Ino smiled, and Mikey blushed. Kt giggled as she cuddled up next to him and smiled.

"You're comfy, Uncle Mikey," she stated as she fed him a grape, and Ino laughed as he accepted the offer graciously.

"Mikey," Kathrine purred as she was on the other side of him, feeding him a grape, as well.

"Mikey is becoming a 'kept man,'" Ino commented dryly, and she laughed and massaged his shoulders. When his mother had told her that he had been in the accident, she had to put her blade away, 'to resist the temptation of following him to the next life if it happened,' she had thought, but her fears were too far from reality. When he came home, he made a comment about her hug hurting him and later commented about a 'manly hug' from her; she retaliated by not touching him for 12 hours, and he was a blubbering pile of goo by that time.

A snore, and Akinyi looked at 'neb as he slept, a smile on his face.

"Yes, Akinyi, and it's his dreams, and you can't control them," Joss laughed, and Akinyi swatted at her before she started to blush.

Joss laughed when she, Twila Starla, kt, Sarah, KimRon PosStoppable, and Wade all went into one of the private rooms and saw Ace Ian Combat in her outfit.

"Cousin Kim deserves it, big time," Joss laughed, and Ace smiled in her outfit.

-----

'neb woke up before the transition, and he found that he's missed the final pickups.

"Transition in 3…2…1…welcome to my 'verse, y'all," Joss announced as the jet came back east of St. Louis, and Wade didn't have to explain why when he had Lindsey circle what remained of the Arch.

"Wade, what ever happened to that sitch I read about on the forum?"

"Anne and Betty have him, 'neb; you do know that he thinks you were here only a few weeks ago, and he believes that you defeated him."

"and….?"

"Well, it turns out that CMY wasn't CMY: it was someone masquerading as him, but he's still convinced that he's CMY, and he hurt five agents trying to escape, so Betty put him in the new, experimental VID: virtual immersion device, so he could live out his 'version of the truth.'

"So, right now, he thinks he's in stasis, but he thinks he's in stasis, but he also thinks he's in a cell in GJ, waiting for the end of the Fannies.

"So, where is the real CMY?"

"Back home. He never left, and he was more than a bit surprised to have GJ visit his house," Wade smiled, but It wasn't friendly: he'd seen the transcripts of what this guy thought he was gonna do to Wade's family, and Wade was not amused.

"What did you do for Team Probable?"

"I sent a separate jet for them and Slyrr, so they are coming in and have a floor at the new Middleton Paris hotel. Needless to say, it has a gym and lots of security cameras, just in case," he grinned.

"We got everybody?"

"Yeah," Joss laughed, "even King in Yellow and Walter Nelson, for KimRon: she's grinning from ear to ear, now," and cpneb laughed.

"So, no wise-acre comments about me and Akinyi, Wade? I know you were listening."

"'neb, I'm sorry. We didn't understand everything you've been through. We knew, but we really didn't understand. ja explained a lot; by the way, how did you find the two of them?"

"The found me: after I started writing Sarah's story, they approached me and asked if they could interview her about the sitch with Kim," 'neb smiled, but grimaced when he looked out of the window at the devastation below.

"I never knew," he whispered, tears coming down like rain, and Joss got up and came to sit with him.

"We're so used to it now, 'neb, we sometimes don't realize how bad it really was. It takes getting visitors to come and see it to remind us what we've lost and how far we've come back, and it really helps when people like you come over and help with cash infusions. The Fannies has already been a great shot in the arm for the Tri-City area, and the businesses and people here really appreciate that Zaratan didn't abandon us after the invasion and hold the even in your 'verse.

"Landing in 10 minutes, everyone: please take your own seats and not other people's laps, and Rebecca Jane will come thru and make sure you're secure…or else," Lindsey laughed.

"If you look out on both sides, you can see the remains of some of the pods that came down," Will announced. "Some of them are still almost completely intact."

"Mother of God," 'neb heard from another table.

"So, what's the plan?"

"Operation 'Club Banana': Ace wants to take a shot while she's still fresh... The Wadebots will take your luggage to the hotel while we're in the mall, then we'll head past the site and then down to Sato's," Wade braced himself for the explosion, but Joss just squeezed 'neb's arm, almost cutting off the circulation.

"I hope you're ready, 'neb," Wade grinned, and Joss let out a low moan.

'neb grinned.

-----

Mags smiled when she walked down the aisle of the center, heading for the pit entrance.

She's never seen it, up close and personal; she had watched the Fannies last year, but she'd never been to Middleton.

'Like I ever thought I could,' she thought and grinned, and the musicians finished tuning up. She could hear Captain IT's band warming up, as well, and she smiled again.

"Captain, I'm Mags B," she smiled as she shook his hand. 'I have nieces and nephews that are younger than you,' she thought.

She hopped over the rail of the pit and landed on the podium, earning some laughs and woo-hoos from the musicians and chorus. 'Glad I wore slacks this morning,' she giggled inside.

"Shall we get started? Let's run through the instrumental of the closing, from the top," she lifted her baton, gave a tempo hint, and gave the down beat.

'They're quite good for amateurs,' she thought, then giggled when she thought of Will Du making the same comment.

Meeting Will for the first time was a bit unsettling, mainly because she had never seen him smile on the show.

'Or, was it because I didn't really believe 'neb wasn't totally drunk or on drugs when he called?' she grinned as she brought the brass in.

'No matter: Will was cute, and that smile lit up his face. He was actually a gentleman, offering his hand. I guess that encounter with Anne taught him something,' she laughed inside as they went to the bridge.

The biggest shock, she realized, was that she actually knew who 'neb was: she never would have suspected that he was her old crush from the days when her mother was giving him violin lessons.

They finished, and the sounds resonated through the center

Applause came from the rear of the center, and Mags turned around.

She saw several people standing in the rear, but there was one that she was certain she knew, and she vaulted over the rail once again and headed down the aisle at a dead run as he came toward her.

"Mags," 'neb grinned when she slammed into him. "Your pics on the 'net don't do you justice," he added before she locked his mouth shut.

"He's worse than you and C. P. put together, Wade," kt laughed as Mags's hands started to roam down his back toward –

"BAD MAGS!" kt and Akinyi both yelled with a laugh, and Mags pulled back, blushing.

"Hey: I saw him first," was her explanation.

"Mag, may I introduce you to Ran Hakubi, the composer and soloist for the closing," 'neb pulled her over two feet to Ran.

'Nice hands, nice face, nice buns, nice package…if he wasn't so young,' Mags thought, then she said it to herself:

'BAD MAGS!' and she grinned as shook his hand.

"Wonderful work, Ran: this will be a great closer.

"Would you like to join us in another run-through now, or after you'd have some time to relax?"

"Let's do it," Ran replied as he crooked his arm, offering it to Mags, and the two of them headed toward the stage.

-----

"Welcome to Club Banana: may I help you?" Kim and Monique came out of the office when they heard the soft 'ding' of the customer entering the store.

"I certainly hope so, Kimmie."

Kim dropped her purse and stared.

It was her mother, but it wasn't her mother.

The woman appeared to be in her early-to-mid 20s, wearing a purple dress, one-inch heels, and a white coat. She had a stethoscope around her neck, and she has Dr. Anne Possible's hairdo, or at least one that Kim had seen in pictures of her mom when she was younger.

"…Mom?" Kim asked softly.

"Yes, Kimmie, it's me, just a bit younger," Anne smiled, and Kim had to –

She ran and hugged her mother, smelling her and checking for chips and pulling a hair out, seeing a drop of blood on the end of it..

"No, Kimmie, I'm not a synthodrone," Anne laughed. "Wade already scanned me, and I checked out.

"What happened, Mom?"

"I don't know, but I was getting into the car to come to the mall, and I suddenly realized that I had to readjust the seat. I looked in the mirror, and I almost didn't recognize myself."

"Wait," Kim suddenly put a smirk on and crossed her arms on her chest. "If you're Mom, what did I have for breakfast this morning?"

"Well, since you're in the dorm, I don't know, but I suspect that it was a banana and a half a grapefruit, sectioned, with a sprinkle of cinnamon. You like your coffee strong; you got that from Betty and your father, certainly not from me. You have that birthmark that Ronald had better not have seen yet, because it's on your-"

"Alright," Kim blushed. "I believe you."

Anne stood, smiling at her daughter, while Kim stood looking perplexed and wondering if this was what she was going to look like in a few years.

"I think Mon's trying to get your attention, Kimmie," Anne pointed, and Kim turned around.

Monique was holding a sign up and laughing: the sign said only one word:

_**PUNK'D!**_

"GF, you've been got good!" Monique laughed, and waves of laughter came from outside the store as friends and others began to come in and stand behind Anne. Then, her mother came in and stood behind 'Anne' and placed her arm around her

"Wha-?" Kim barely managed to sputter out a word before both Annes laughed.

"Ace Ian Combat, at your service, Kim," the young Anne spoke. "You can blame me and 'neb for this sitch."

"'neb!" Kim shouted as he came through the crowd. She ran and hugged him and whispered, "do that again, and it'll be number seven, old-school style, for you, guy."

'neb gulped when Kim pulled back with a Ron-style 'serious face' on, and then she broke out laughing and yelled "**Psych**!"

Unfortunately for 'neb, all of Kim's attention left him when two more men stepped through the crowd.

'Star,' she mentally drooled, and she glanced at Monique.

Mon was smiling, but for a different reason. Walter Nelson was standing with Star, but this was not the Walter Nelson that Kim had told her about:

"A handsome, chocolate surprise; yum-o!" she grinned inside.

"Hello, Kim," Star smiled, and Kim couldn't control herself: she ran and threw her arms around his neck, almost knocking Star to the ground.

"He smells as good as he looks, and he feels even better…DOWN, KIM! He's a happily married man, just like 'neb…but, oh my, how I almost…." She felt her entire body rise in temperature.

"Happy to see me, I presume?" Star could feel the heat and other things rising, and he laughed as he spoke,

"Not as happy as you were to see me in 'Thunder Island,' Star," Kim replied when she pulled back, and it was Star's turn to blush under the beard. Anne Possible laughed, but she was checking out the men in the group.

'Hmm,' she thought, and she started to blush a bit herself.

"Ace, I've got a plan," Kim started before she lost all control, and she was surprised when Ace pulled out a copy of Kim's purple mission top before Kim even began tot speak.

"GF, we're going to get along sooo well," Kim grinned as she wrapped her arm around Ace's shoulder, and the two ladies, accompanied by Dr. Anne Possible and Monique, headed for the dressing rooms while the ladies began to explore Club Banana. Some of the guys headed for the food court, but ja, Lady Rhetorica ', Wade, and cp headed for the center court with Will and Lindsey to sit and discuss environmental cleanup issues.

**-----**

**Author's afterward:**

One more chapter before the Awards ceremony….

Thank you, to all of the voters, readers, writers, and lurkers, for making this year a year to remember in KP Fanfictiondom.

The Fannies are almost here, so who won? We'll find out on Saturday, and the after-party occurs after the last ceremony is complete….Part 2 of 'Road Trip,' that is.

-----

Next, on_** Road Trip**_

**P1, C6: dinner, no movie…**

-----

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

-----

2008.02.23

-----


	6. P1C6: dinner, no movie: no big!

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

A bit of a surprise for Jocelyn, and an adventure for all

-----

**P1, C6: dinner, no movie: no big!**

-----

Wade adjusted his bow tie, and Lucky splashed in his tank.

"Hush," Wade laughed.

"Wade? Are you almost ready?" Rachel Load called from the other side of the door, and Wade grinned.

"Almost, Mom," he replied. "You and Dad are certain that you don't want to come?"

"We're sure, Wade: and besides, we need an evening alone, for a change, so…" he could almost see and hear his mom's smile, and his reaction was expected:

"MOM! TMI!!!!" Rachel laughed at her son's response.

The doorbell rang, and Rachel answered it.

"'Neb!" she smiled and hugged cpneb.

"Rachel, dear: you're even more beautiful than I imagined: that must explain why the roses refused to come unescorted," and 'neb handed her two dozen red and yellow roses in a bouquet.

"Hey, guy, don't take my lines, especially with my wife," Ryan laughed as he and 'neb hugged.

"How's your MS doing, Ryan?"

"Somewhat stable now, 'neb. Yours?"

"A lot more stable, now that I'm on the medication. I'm just going for no more exacerbations in the next 20 or so years, and I'll be happy," 'neb grinned.

"We can all have that same wish, sir," Ryan nodded in agreement.

"Hey there, 'neb," Wade came out, dressed, and 'neb laughed: Wade had acquired a cane just like his.

"A tease for Tara, after last year," he explained, and they all laughed.

"Shall we get the ladies, Wade?"

"I'm here, 'neb," A voice announced, and 'neb turned.

Joss stood with a smile on her face. She, Wade thought, was stunning in her dress, even more so since she had 'gone short' this year. Her ribbon-embroidered taffeta strapless dress in a light lime green featured a square neck, a darker green ribbon sash and bow detail, and the flared skirt stopped just barely above her knees.

'That didn't help me one bit,' Wade grinned inside, because Joss had managed to acquire a pair of light dust/rust/auburn tall boots with a square heel that grabbed Wade's attention. Her shoulders, her skin, were perfect, in his mind: creamy-smooth to the touch, he surmised, and he decided to find out if his hypothesis was correct.

Wade hugged her, and he was right: she felt wonderful in his arms.

"AHEM," came from behind him, and Wade reluctantly released Joss so she could get a hug from 'neb.

"Miss Possible, you are indeed a vision," 'neb smiled, and Joss tittered.

"Let's go so we aren't late," 'neb released her, and he had a tiny hint of regret in his voice as he did. They all headed out of the house after hugs from Ryan and Rachel.

"Let's see which of us fills the drool bucket first from Akinyi's dress," Wade laughed as he helped Joss into the limo, and she swatted at him.

"Kinda like Ron after he thought he'd died and gone to KP Heaven: right, Wade?" 'neb asked, and Wade laughed as he remembered….

-----

"Welcome to Club Banana – oh, hey Ron," Monique came out of the back room, laughing.

"Mon, my Nubian Goddess: where is my one true love?" Ron laughed as he walked into the store.

"Your 'Nubian goddess,' huh? You've been watching 'Captain Constellation' again, haven't you?" Monique laughed.

"'Rockets are, indeed, go,' Monique," Ron replied with a twinkle in his eye.

"Hey, hey, Ronnie," Kim came in the front door, eating a pickle from Pickle-on-a-Pike, and Ron immediately had all _**sorts**_ of evil thoughts going through his mind.

"Hey, KP," Ron managed to get the words out of his mouth after Kim took the last bite of her pickle.

'black hole deep, black hole deep, black hole deep,' ran through his mind.

"Ron, I was thinking," Kim sauntered over to him and ran her index finger up the front of his shirt.

"You were?" Ron's voice jumped an octave as he spoke.

"I was," she smiled a smile that made Ron's heart skip a beat. "After I get off work, why don't we grab takeaway at BN and head to the lake for a dinner picnic," she placed her hand on his face, and his temperature rose at least three degrees Fahrenheit.

"That sounds great, Kim," he replied, trying not to start sweating.

"And, later, we can go for a swim," she added, moving her fingers up along his head to his hair, twirling it between her fingers.

'Breathe, Ron; breathe,' he told himself. 'What is she doing, and why has she waited this long to do it?'

"Ah, Kim, the swimsuits are gone, remember? The last run-in with Gil ate them away."

"We don't **need **them, do we, Ronnie?" Kim answered as she ran her fingers through the hair on the top of his head, and Ron's heart skipped several beats all at once.

"KP, I think I'll keep you around," he grinned as he reached his arms up to hug his BFGFF.

"_**RONALD DEAN STOPPABLE**_! WHAT IN THE **WORLD** ARE YOU DOING? WHAT IN THE WORLD DO YOU _**THINK**_ YOU'RE DOING?" Ron heard a voice he knew all too well, and he looked up and saw Kim coming out of the back stockroom.

Kim?

If that was Kim…

If this was Kim,

Synthodrones, again?

"Ron! That's Camille Leon! She broke out this morning: I heard it on the radio," the Kim, in his arms, turned and pointed.

"Ron, not again: you can't tell you own BFGFF from a poser," Stockroom Kim had an angry grin on her face.

"Poser? Ron, you know who the poser is, and it's not me," Kim, in his arms, stated, forming an identical angry grin on her face.

Ron looked at both sets of eyes carefully: both the emerald green that he loved.

Same hairstyle.

Same clothes outfit.

He released the Kim in his arms, and she walked over and stood next to 'Stockroom Kim.'

"When did I propose to you, KP?"

"Christmas Eve night, after Betty and I sang," both of them replied in unison, and they stared at each other.

Ron knew he was in serious 'Kim'-chi.

"Rufus: Find Kim," the mole rat popped out of his pocket, looked at both Kims, ran over to both of them, sniffed, and ran back and jumped into Ron's pocket.

"Same Kim," he squeaked as he dove, head-first, back into the pocket.

Ron looked at both of them and did the only thing he could do:

He walked up to the Kim that he had been holding, grabbed her in his arms, and began to move towards her lips –

"You're not KP," he smiled as he released her. "Who _**are**_ you?"

"I'm Kim, Ron," she protested.

"Wrong: KP never closes her eyes when I kiss her until **after** the kiss starts," Ron announced with an air of satisfaction.

Monique reached into her pocket and pulled out a $50 dollar bill and handed it to the Kim closest to her. Rufus popped his head out of Ron's pocket and winked at Monique.

"You win, Kim," Monique groused, and Kim pocketed the money.

"Ron, you did better than I did," 'Stockroom Kim' grinned as the mob of folks came out of the office and back storeroom.

"I'm Ace Ian Combat," the 'Kim' he had released announced, and Ron grabbed her and kissed her until Ace was almost out of breath and had several thoughts running through her head, none of which were Disney-related..

When he released her, he grinned. "Welcome to Middleton, Ace," he stated simply.

"Booyah," was Ace's whispered response with a big smile on her face, and the crowd applauded.

'My friends are never going to believe me when I tell then that I was kissed by the one and only Ron Stoppable!"

"Just don't get used to it," Kim had come over to Ace and whispered to her.

Ace laughed in reply. "GF, I don't think I could live through another one of those kisses: how do you do it?" Ace stage-whispered her question so both Kim and Ron would hear it; Ron grinned and blushed a tiny bit.

Kim just smiled, patted Ace on the shoulder, and whispered back, "I'm fully trained in _**both**_ basic and advanced Ron-Shine, Ace," and she proceeded to show how advanced her training was.

'Wow,' was all Ace could think.

-----

BEEP-BEEP-BE-DEEP!

"I always wondered what that sounded like in real life," 'neb mused when Wade punched the button on his PosComm, adjusted his earpiece, and looked at the Caller ID.

He listened, frowned, and then turned to 'neb and said, "You need to hear this, guy," and he punched the speaker button:

"Wade, this is Zaratan. I know you'll get this message to 'neb.

"Due to an unforeseen set of circumstances, the Fannie Awards are now officially rescheduled for one week hence, to next Saturday, 1 March 2008.

"I have been in development talks with a couple of potential partners to expand both our businesses with a permanent co-located seven-day-a week business location. The business plan required to obtain financing has taken almost of my time this week. I thought I do both the plan and prep for the awards, but I ran out of hours in the day when out bank appointment was moved forward to this coming Thursday.

"22-hour-days do not result in a quality product, and both projects deserve quality. I'm also still missing materials from some individuals, and I haven't been able to contact them. Wade, you and 'neb will understand better than anyone: 'Reality Happens,'" Zaratan laughed, "and the reality is that reality, and my business, have to take precedence. No business, no Fannies, because you can't run the Fannies from the street.

"I feel awful about the delay, but it can't be helped. I'm posting notification on all the boards over here. I knew that the folks already in Middleton would need to know, and I figured, Wade, that you were the best way to get to them in a single shot. I hope everyone understands."

Wade looked over at 'neb to gauge his reaction. His eyes were closed behind his glasses as if in thought.

"Wade, how much do you think that Sato's going to be out for the dinner?"

"Ouch," Wade said when that thought clicked.

"Let's have the dinner, and let's have some fun. We have an orchestra; Captain IT may or not be available, but we have the ladies all dressed up with no place to go, so…" 'neb grinned, and Wade smiled.

"You just want to see Akinyi in that dress, 'neb," Wade grinned as he sent messages out city-wide, starting with Sato to tell him that dinner was still on.

"I want to see Joss, Ace, and several other ladies, Wade. Besides, the time dilation works to our advantage: we can spend a week here and lose no time back home.

"Right, but won't that cause a problem for some folks, 'neb?"

"For some, but I'll bet you can get them a ride back home if they need one," 'neb replied, and Wade smiled.

"Indeed," was Wade's reply.

"Can you book me another after-party night at the hotel?"

"Unfortunately, they're booked, but we can do it at the center for everybody: all the parties will have the same problem, so one mass party afterward will be perfect."

"Well, we're here, so let's tell them," 'neb stepped out of the limo.

"Think anyone will be upset abut the delay?" Joss asked 'neb as the waited for the elevator.

"I doubt it: everyone, I expect, will understand," 'neb replied as the elevator door opened, and Wade and 'neb stepped in.

"I'll wait down here," Joss grinned as two GJ agents made their move, and Wade growled as the door closed.

-----

"Darn it!" Camille Leon growled as she slammed the phone received down.

"Rowr?" Debutante asked, and Camille smiled as she fed her from the last bag of cat food.

"You'll eat, Deb, even if I don't," she smiled sadly, and then she thought about the announcement that she just heard over the television news.

"Debutante, we'll eat for a week after tonight, or at least until the Fannies next week," she morphed into an older woman, somewhat shabbily dressed, and left the motel, heading for the Middleton Homeless Shelter.

-----

'neb knocked on the door of the hotel room.

"Coming!" she called out from the room, and Akinyi opened her hotel door.

"wow," was all 'neb could say. "Now I know what Joss meant by 'knocking both boots and socks off,' 'neb laughed.

Akinyi's dress was a wine color, bringing to mind all of the grape stories, but neb realized that it was actually a ruby pink. Her ribbon-embroidered taffeta strapless dress featured a very simple square neck, a pale ribbon sash and bow detail, and the flared skirt flared just enough.

Her dark brown hair, softened by the goldish-blond highlights, got 'neb's attention and was perfectly styled (she and Joss had decided on the same style, and it suited them perfectly, 'neb was convinced), and Akinyi's brown eyes danced with joy and laughter, but there was also a hint of anxiousness in them. Her perfect, porcelain skin: 'neb had heard of skin like hers and had seen it before, but it always garnered his attention whenever he encountered it, and it did this time, as well. She was a wonderfully beautiful young lady, and 'neb knew that, someday, he would hear about that special guy she'd found who had swept her off her feet.

'Lucky man,' he thought, and he smiled because she touched her hand to her neck; the Concho pearl necklace looked wonderful, set off against her skin tone. Her single black-pearl earrings with the dangling pair of Concho pearls graced her ears.

"You, dear lady, will truly be the center of attention," 'neb announced as he kissed her cheek and then crooked his arm. She smiled as her anxious look disappeared and took the arm, closing her door and holding her clutch purse in her hand in his arm. They headed for the elevator to the lobby.

"You got the message about the Fannies?"

"Yeah; bummer, but I also got the message that we were still dining?"

"Sato has all that food prepared, and we're hungry, so I thought…"

"You just wanted to see me in my dress, didn't you?" Akinyi said with a smile.

Her smile, right then, 'neb thought to himself, could have illuminated the entire Eastern seaboard of both 'verses, but he just answered her question with a simple grin and an equally simple comment: "Can you blame me?"

She smiled and, for once, didn't blush. "Well, I'm glad I got to see you all dressed up. You look pretty sharp, yourself, 'neb, in that tux," she reached up and kissed his cheek as the elevator door closed, "Lovin' the cummerbund, guy."

"Are you-" he started to ask one more time, and she placed her fingers on his lips,

"Shush," Akinyi whispered as she stood on her toes and kissed 'neb's cheek once again. "Does that answer your question about how much I love you, adopted godfather, friend, dear partner in the KP world?"

"I think I'll keep you around, Akinyi," 'neb grinned, and the elevator door opened on the first floor with the two of them in an embrace that they didn't want to end.

-----

Sir Sebastian looked worried as he adjusted his glasses, standing just outside her hotel door with whitem and Ran.

The door opened, and all three gentlemen grabbed their chests.

Silver was the dress color of the day, but was not the only commonality.

Crystal, standing on the left, wore her dress top with her right shoulder bare.

Liz, standing on the right, wore her dress top with her left shoulder bare.

Tara, standing in the center, wore her dress top with both shoulders bare.

Jessica, standing behind them, wore her dress top as a halter, with both shoulders and her back bare.

Hope wore the dress like Tara, but she wore a silver wrap over her shoulders, and looked enticingly lovely.

'This is soooo not fair,' the guys thought.

"Gotcha," came as one from the ladies, their legs all covered with silky-silver stockings, and they all wore silver two-inch heels.

The gentleman crooked their arms, and they each took their date and another lady in a boy/girl/boy-wide chain to the elevator.

-----

Mags smiled and started playing when the waiters began to roll out the first courses. The orchestra and chorus had received the message, but they had decided to stick around and enjoy themselves with some notes, some good food, and some good company.

Sato got the message from Wade, and he was at the door when Wade and 'neb arrived.

"Sato really outdid himself," C. P. commented as the guests that had come after hearing the postponement announcement followed by the announcement that dinner was still on for tonight.

"And, Wade, that last idea was pure genius," 'neb added, and Wade grinned. He'd called all of the Tri-Cities shelters and arranged for the limos to pick up the residents for a dinner that they'd never forget. He and the center staff had expanded the tables and made room for more people to come in, and they were getting served first, per agreement by everyone there.

C. P. had laughed inside when Team Probable came in the door, because both Rhonda and Jade broke into face-shattering grins when they realized who was standing at the door and waiting for them.

Rhonda gave 'neb a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek, and Jade followed with the same on the other cheek. Grimm smiled and shook 'neb's hand, but he wasn't at all happy about the hugs and kisses: C. P. could tell from the look in his eyes. Slyrr and 'neb shook hands vigorously, and they then all headed to the table.

Grimm pulled out Rhonda's chair for her, much to her surprise.

"What brought that on?" she asked him when she sat down.

"Just being a gentleman for my BFGF, Rhonda," Grimm replied, and he grinned outwardly while grimacing inwardly as 'neb held the chair for a giggling Jade.

''neb's just as evil as I am, only in an entirely different way,' Grimm thought when he sat down and watched 'neb head to his seat.

The waiters brought water and offered other beverages. Grimm requested and received a glass of tonic water with two slices of lime and one slice of lemon.

"I still can't believe you drink that nasty stuff," Rhonda said as she was handed her diet ginger ale.

Her waiter remarked, "Miss, here's your diet drink, but may I say you_**certainly**_ don't need it," and Rhonda pinked while Grimm grimaced.

''neb is even more evil than I suspected,' Grimm thought as the waiters placed the salad in front of him. Baby spinach, baby corn, and baby shrimp were all tossed with a Caesar salad dressing, and Grimm smiled, and then he groaned inwardly.

'He's even getting to me.'

Rhonda kept sneaking looks over at 'neb, and Jade laughed as Grimm growled. Grimm was **not**happy with the hug that Rhonda had received from 'neb, and he was so flustered that he hadn't even generated a comeback yet.

Rhonda was pleased inside. 'Maybe the guy will finally say something,' she thought.

-----

"kt, may I say that you look lovely tonight," Star said to a smiling kt.

"Why, thank you, Star, but you don't have to grovel: I'm still not telling you where the story's going," kt said as her smile got bigger just before she tasted her soup.

'A wonderful tomato basil chili-spice soup: perfect for this cold evening,' she grinned inside as she looked over at Mikey and Ino.

Mikey was smiling more than kt ever thought he could and Ino was talking and gesturing.

'They are having fun, and that's a good thing,' she thought as her eyes moved back toward Akinyi and 'neb, chatting about something.

'I'm glad that Dad asked him about Sarah, all those months ago,' she smiled, 'otherwise, I don't know what I would have done without him and Dad, or what Dad would have done without him. I'll bet 'neb has no idea just how much he has helped people here.'

"Thinking, daughter?" kt turned and looked at her dad.

'He looks so much more relaxed than he has in a long time, since he and mom came back from the launch.' "Just thinking about our lives, Dad," she tasted her soup, "and how I want to get the recipe for this soup from Sato. Dad, don't you think he's using peppers as part of the soup base?"

"Actually," Sato replied, and kt turned, surprised that he was behind her, "I use roasted poblano peppers as part of the base; jalapeños were too strong for most.

"You have an amazingly discerning palate, young lady. My name is Sato," he bowed, "and you are…?"

"I'm kt, and this is my Dad, ja, sir: we're both writers," kt replied, and Sato grinned.

"Ah, the famous jakt team," he bowed once again. "It would be my honor if you had my soup recipe; a small payment for the joy that you have given us and for the joy you gave to Sarah when you asked 'neb if you could interview her."

"It would be our honor, Sato," ja had stood, and he bowed slightly to Sato as he bowed at the same time; they both came up with a smile on their faces.

'Dad's caught another one,' kt smiled inwardly as she finished off her soup.

-----

'neb had an extra guest in the place of King in Yellow: Bego had come in his place, and she had not received the news of the Fannies cancellation.

Bego had asked if she could sit with Joss and Wade, and the arrangements were made so that Bego could sit between Joss and CajunBear73. She smiled when Cajunbear73 held her seat out for her. "Thank. you," she smiled, and CajunBear73 was more than a bit worried for Wade, no matter the 'verse.

"Can you 'eat'?" Wade asked nervously.

"I. need. to. pass. for. human. sometimes. and. can. take. in. food. Dr. Porter. hopes. to. upgrade. me. so. that. I. can. taste. someday. Of. course, I. can't. digest… I. suspect. you. don't. want. to. hear. about. that." Ace grinned and frowned at the same time.

"TMI," she interjected, and Bego smiled and took a simulated breath. "Too much information?" she asked, and Ace smiled and nodded. Bego smiled and said, "Gotcha," with a grin.

"Can I have your dessert, then?" CajunBear73 asked. Bego nodded, then seemed to pause to gather energy before she spoke.

"You wonder if I can pass for human?" She seemed to get past a strain of sorts, and then she continued.

"Sometimes, when. we. go. on. missions; cousin. Jim. says. that. if. I. wear. dark. glasses. and. keep. my. mouth. shut. I. can. pass." She smiled. "Except. that. no. girl. can. keep. her. mouth. shut." She laughed. "Someday. I. will. have. to. hurt. cousin. Jim," she added, and then Bego then fell silent.

"Was. that. Funny, Joss?" she asked, and Joss nodded with a smile. Bego then looked around the room, scanning the people, and especially checking out all of the guys, regardless of age.

"So, what do you think?" Joss asked, and Bego turned and grinned at Joss.

"There. are. some. really. cute. guys. here; however, in. the. tuxes. it. is. hard. to. tell. if. they. have. nice. rears. Still, there. are. definitely. some. cute. butt. alerts. going. off," Bego replied, and CajunBear73 shot iced tea from his mouth.

"Do. not. worry, CB: yours. is. in. the. list. of. cute. ones," Bego replied as she stirred her soup idly, and CajunBear73 blushed Kim-hair-red.

"Joss, I. was. wondering: is. your. Wade. as. good. a. kisser. as. the. one. in. my. 'verse?"

Wade tried to burrow under the table, and Tara, Ran, and Ace all were laughing at his failed attempt.

"Where did you learn to kiss?" Joss was enjoying this.

"I. don't. know. how. to. kiss. I. got. my. set. of. Joss. memories. before. you. were. dating. Wade. So. I. can't. 'remember'. how. he. kisses, but. my. 'verses. version. of. you. thinks. he's. pretty wonderful. I. still. kind. of. like. Ron. - don't. tell. him that. - and. Tara's. younger. brother." Bego activated her sigh synthesizer, "I'd. like. to. learn. how. to. kiss Guys. just. seem. kind. of. shy. around. me. and. don't. ask. me. out. I'm. pretty. sure. the. body. Doc. and. Wade. built. can. kiss, but. I. need. someone. to. try. with. The. people. who. know. me. accept. me. but. it. took. our. parents. awhile. to. acknowledge. us. as. sisters." Bego replied as the waiter removed her soup bowl.

"Parents?" Joss squeezed Wade's hand.

"Yes, I. say. our. mom. and. dad, Joss. I. guess. biologically. they. are. just. yours," Bego replied, and she was confused when tears fell from Joss' face.

The waiter placed her plate in front of her: vegetarian, of course. "I. don't. eat. meat," Bego explained. "It. just. seems. wrong, somehow." She leaned over the food and took in the aroma, "Dr. Porter. has. given. me. the. beta. version. of. an. aroma. analyzer. Does. this. smell. as. heavenly. to. you. as. it does. to. me? Or, am. I just. finding. everything. tonight. really. wonderful?" She looked at CajunBear 73 and smiled.

He returned her smile, "Wade did a wonderful job on you, dear lady." Bego pinked in a blush.

'Wow, and she blushes too: what else did that Aggie do for her?' Joss thought as she grinned and she looked over at a very worried Wade.

"I. like. your. dress, Ace. Did. you. and. Joss. acquire .your .dresses. simultaneously?"

"No, we didn't," Ace smiled, and 'neb popped up on the screen in front of Ace.

"Lovely dress, for a lovely lady, Ace," was neb's comment, and Ace grinned.

Ace's dress was a clover green, setting off her hair, Wade thought, and reminding him far too much of both Kim and Ron, 'especially in this dress,' he thought. Her ribbon-embroidered taffeta strapless dress, similar to Joss' featured a more complex square neck, a darker green sash and bow detail, and the flared skirt…'works for me,' Wade grinned inside, too worried about the look he was getting from Sweet Tea.

'neb had been impressed by her writing and her wit, but he was now a fan of the lady, as well, just as he was of Akinyi, Joss, kt, and Sarah. 'They are all intelligent, witty, and lovely young ladies, just like Twila Starla,' he smiled as he sipped his sweet tea with mint, mixed personally by C. P. 'I envy the young men that will come into their lives someday,' and 'neb smiled as he saw Jay from G. J. working the crowd and, unknown to kt, keeping an eye on her. 'He's got it bad, and that ain't good,' he smiled as he sipped again

"This is doctor's orders," C. P. had told him as he placed the large glass in front of him after they landed, and 'neb had become hooked on the brew.

'Well, Sarah's found hers, so I suppose that the rest will find theirs,' 'neb looked at Ace and smiled. He especially liked her 'partner,' the tiny tree frog named Kip. Kip had come along for the ride, deciding that he (or she, Ace explained: she hadn't asked, and Wade laughed) wasn't as fond of the cold as the warmth of the jet, and she was quite happy spending his time with Ace and being worshipped by kt, Akinyi, and Joss. Her crescent moon light green mark on her back led 'neb to the story of his company name, and Wade and Joss had laughed and commented that "they weren't surprised at your warped sense of humor, 'neb."

She enjoyed her spot at the table, calmly watching the ongoing events.

-----

"So, Star, how are things going back home?" kt had pulled her chair over between her dad and Star and was talking to him.

"They're fine, kt: how's school going?"

"Well, I haven't run off any teachers this semester, and I haven't gotten in any trouble," a loud throat-clearing, and she grinned. "Well, not a lot of trouble, but I'm working on it," kt continued.

"Working on the trouble, or working on staying out of trouble?" Star asked with a smile as he cut a slice of steak with his fork. 'This is a wonderfully-prepared steak,' he thought as he bit into it.

"Working on not getting caught," kt giggled.

"Thank you for the reviews, by the way: I've never had poetry written for me before," she fluttered her eyelashes. "You were the first guy to do that for me, and it was so good, too," she continued, and Star had a knot start to form in his stomach as he watched kt's face.

'I think I have an 11-year-old with a bad case of crush,' he thought as he looked over at ja who, by now, had been listening and was now grinning broadly at Star.

'Oh, snap,' Star thought as kt scooted her chair a bit closer to his and smiled even more.

-----

"My dear Jessica," campy smiled at the love-struck young woman, "This has been a pleasure, dining with you, but I won't be back next weekend. I'm going on a cruise with my wife, and it's been scheduled for a long time; scheduled around the Fannies, as a matter of fact. I'm sorry."

"campy," Jess smiled as her heart ripped in two inside, "that's not a problem: I understand." Tears tried to form on her eyes, but she fought then back.

"Thank you for being so understanding, and thank you for convincing me to come tonight. You look divine in that dress, my dear," and Jessica smiled.

"You know what's coming now, don't you, campy," Jess grinned, and campy looked worried as she slid her chair next to his.

-----

They went through the dinner, and then the chanting began:

PEACH!

FRIED!

PIE!

PEACH!

FRIED!

PIE!

PEACH!

FRIED!

PIE!

PEACH!

FRIED!

PIE!

The chanting turned into cheers when the waiters began to roll out the trays of pie and large containers of ice cream, and the moans swiftly followed.

Walter Nelson fed pie to KimRon PosStoppable, and she purred as she reached over and touched his non-feeding hand.

"Monique is one lucky lady," she thought.

"Actually, I'm the lucky one," Walter replied, and KimRon realized that she had spoken out loud.

"But, if not her, dear lady," Walter smiled, and KimRon grinned.

'My own, personal, dark chocolate center, and this one **will** hold,' she grinned

-----

"May I have your attention, please," Kathrine Elizabeth Load had managed to grab a microphone from Mags, and she was tapped into the entire center sound system.

kt laughed when Jay tripped over his own feet when Kathrine spoke.

"Most of you know that Mike Industries was in an automobile accident before the ceremony, and we were all worried that he wouldn't make it here tonight. I am pleased to announce that he made it, and he is accompanied tonight by the lovely Ino," and the applause filled the center as Mike and Ino both stood.

"And, in Mikey's honor, it's time," she grinned evilly, and Mike closed his eyes and braced himself for the grape assault.

The laughter rang throughout the center, and he opened his eyes.

The center was filled with arms raised, and everyone there was holding up a single Pixie Stick: grape-flavored, of course.

Even Ino was grinning and holding one up for Mike.

'It's showtime,' Wade smiled as he winked at cpneb, and C. P. wondered what those two were up to this time.

Wade didn't think that anyone had noticed the backstage activity, or that they would have paid attention to it.

'Sarah has been wonderful,' Pharaoh Rutin Tutin thought, 'but this should help lift her 'blues,'' PRT laughed at the double entendre. 'I'm glad Wade told me what was going to happen now,' he grinned as he reached over and held Sarah's hand, bringing that wonderful smile to her face…even after the pie, he grinned.

Mags sat and tried to recover from the pie.

'Oh, God, take me now, for I am ready to go, now that I've tasted Paradise,' Mags managed to stand and make it back into the pit. The rest of the musicians and chorus were in similar conditions, but they were professionals and accustomed to eating quickly and getting ready to play. Unfortunately, none of them had encountered the Pie before, and the ladies were all softly moaning.

"Is this what 'neb has tortured me for months about?" Mikey whined, and Ino quieted him before 'neb had a chance to reply.

When he could breathe again, 'neb spoke:

"Sorry, Mikey, but it's a big brother's prerogative to harass 'little brother' in any way possible, and stringing you along for months for this was the best way I knew how," 'neb explained, and Mikey struck him square in the chest with a Pixie Stick.

One followed, and 'neb found himself the proud owner of almost 50 grape Pixie Sticks in his lap in a matter of moments, and no one ever owned up to tossing theirs.

The orchestra began to play a familiar sound, and Sarah's head snapped up, and she looked directly at PRT.

"What are they playing?"

"I don't know the tune, but it's nice," he replied.

"It_**is**_ Saturday night in Middleton, after all, ladies and gentlemen; the Fannies are on hold, so guess what that means?" the familiar voice came over the sound system, and Sarah's hand squeezed PRT's arm.

"It's time to rebuild your computers, all you closet geeks 'out there, in here,'" the announcer from Middleton Teen Settlement laughed, "so you _**know**_ you'll need…

"The NEW MOTHERBOARDS!" and the curtain remained closed to the opening chords of "A Woman Like You," and several ladies in the audience screamed their approval.

"Sarah," Wade's face appeared on the transparent screen that appeared in front of her, "a little 'Thank You,' from 'neb and me," and Sarah squeezed PRT's arm even harder as the curtain opened to -

(Chip)_**I've walked in the wrong direction; I've played with the doubt inside my mind **_  
( Alex and Jennifer, in harmony) _**de de de de de de de de**_

Sarah fingered her engagement ring and smiled up at her BFBFF, and Chip winked.

**-----**

**Author's afterward:**

It's not the show you expected…

The Fannies are here, so who won? We'll find out, next Saturday…

-----

Next, on_** Road Trip**_

**P1, C7: more fun in the Center**

-----

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

-----

2008.02.25

-----


	7. P1C7: more fun, in the Center

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

A bit of a surprise for Jocelyn, and an adventure for all

-----

**P1, C7: more fun, in the Center**

-----

Rhonda kept sneaking looks over at 'neb, and Jade laughed as Grimm growled. Grimm was **not**happy with the hug that Rhonda had received from 'neb, and he was so flustered that he hadn't even generated a comeback yet.

Rhonda was pleased inside. 'Maybe the guy will finally say something,' she thought.

-----

"kt, may I say that you look lovely tonight," Star said to a smiling kt.

-----

'Well, Sarah's found hers, so I suppose that the rest will find theirs,' 'neb looked at Ace and smiled. He especially liked her 'partner,' the tiny tree frog named Kip. Kip had come along for the ride, deciding that he (or she, Ace explained: she hadn't asked, and Wade laughed) wasn't as fond of the cold as the warmth of the jet, and she was quite happy spending his time with Ace and being worshipped by kt, Akinyi, and Joss. Her crescent moon light green mark on her back led 'neb to the story of his company name, and Wade and Joss had laughed and commented that "they weren't surprised at your warped sense of humor, 'neb."

Kip enjoyed her spot at the table, calmly watching the ongoing events.

-----

"Thank you for the reviews, by the way: I've never had poetry written for me before," she fluttered her eyelashes. "You were the first guy to do that for me, and it was so good, too," she continued, and Star had a knot start to form in his stomach as he watched kt's face.

'I think I have an 11-year-old with a bad case of crush,' he thought as he looked over at ja who, by now, had been listening and was now grinning broadly at Star.

'Oh, snap,' Star thought as kt scooted her chair a bit closer to his and smiled even more.

-----

"My dear Jessica," campy smiled at the love-struck young woman, "This has been a pleasure, dining with you, but I won't be back next weekend. I'm going on a cruise with my wife, and it's been scheduled for a long time; scheduled around the Fannies, as a matter of fact. I'm sorry."

"campy," Jess smiled as her heart ripped in two inside, "that's not a problem: I understand." Tears tried to form on her eyes, but she fought then back.

"Thank you for being so understanding, and thank you for convincing me to come tonight. You look divine in that dress, my dear," and Jessica smiled.

"You know what's coming now, don't you, campy," Jess grinned, and campy looked worried as she slid her chair next to his.

-----

They went through the dinner, and then the chanting began:

PEACH!

FRIED!

PIE!

PEACH!

FRIED!

PIE!

The chanting turned into cheers when the waiters began to roll out the trays of pie and large containers of ice cream, and the moans swiftly followed.

Walter Nelson fed pie to KimRon PosStoppable, and she purred as she reached over and touched his non-feeding hand.

"Monique is one lucky lady," she thought.

"Actually, I'm the lucky one," Walter replied, and KimRon realized that she had spoken out loud.

"But, if not her, dear lady," Walter smiled, and KimRon grinned.

'My own, personal, dark chocolate center, and this one **will** hold,' she grinned

Karenstern05 was being fed by Felix, and she was not upset in the least.

"Karen, are you sure?"

"Just a bit more, please and thank you," Karen replied.

"But, Karen, that's your second bowl," Felix added, then smiled. "Your lovely figure, I wouldn't want to be the cause of anything happening to it."

Karen pushed the spoon away from her mouth and stared at Felix for a moment.

Well, it was more than a moment, because Karen had wondered why no one had wanted to come with Felix. So far, she hadn't seen any reason whatsoever **not** to be with him.

He was a perfect gentleman from the time he had met her in the hotel lobby and throughout the dinner, pulling her chair and taking her wrap before she was seated, and he was a wonderful conversationalist.

'I love his eyes, and those hands feel so warm and wonderful,' she had realized when he had held her hand in the limo ride to the Center. She had stared into his eyes for a moment, and she was lost –

'Stop it, Karen! He's cute…oh, boy, is he cute…stop it, he's still enamored with Monique in 'neb's verse and Zita in canon…I wonder how he keeps that straight!'

Felix stared at Karen for a moment.

'She is so very pretty,' he thought as he watched her brush her hair from her eyes. 'And smart, and pretty, and witty, and pretty, and – watch it, Felix! Mon will have your hide, if 'neb leaves any after he's though with me if I do anything I shouldn't do…

They both leaned forward, their eyes slowly closed, and their lips gently brushed for a moment, and then their hands found each others' head as their kiss intensified…

"OH, SNAP!" they both shouted and backed up, shocked at what they had done, but neither disappointed.

After an awkward silence between them, a look of puzzlement from captainkodak1 and Darth Comrade, and a grin and a wink from Twila Starla, they finally were able to speak.

"Thank you, Felix," Karen smiled as she blushed and smiled.

"No, Karen: the pleasure was all mine. To quote a really good friend of mine, 'you're a bon-diggity kisser,'" Felix blushed as he reached over and took her hands in his.

"Should we do that again?" he asked.

"Maybe later," Karen smiled and Felix squeezed her hand.

"You do know I'm seeing Monique," Felix added.

"I know, and I wouldn't dare to even think that I could ever take her place, but I always thought you were cute," Karen admitted, wondering to herself where she got the courage to tell a hunk like Felix how she felt about him.

Felix smiled outside, but his heart jumped and did cartwheels inside.

Monique has been his first, mainly because girls didn't know that he wasn't broken in the head, just the legs, but here was another….

'She thinks I'm cute!' Felix wanted to dance with her, carry her into the air, but he promised to be good…for a bit, he grinned as he gently pressed her hands into his when the music began….

-----

"Is this what 'neb has tortured me for months about?" Mikey whined, and Ino quieted him before 'neb had a chance to reply.

When he could breathe again, 'neb spoke:

"Sorry, Mikey, but it's a big brother's prerogative to harass 'little brother' in any way possible, and stringing you along for months for this was the best way I knew how," 'neb explained, and Mikey struck him square in the chest with a Pixie Stick.

One followed, and 'neb found himself the proud owner of almost 50 grape Pixie Sticks in his lap in a matter of moments, and no one ever owned up to tossing theirs.

The orchestra began to play a familiar sound, and Sarah's head snapped up, and she looked directly at PRT.

"What are they playing?"

"I don't know the tune, but it's nice," he replied.

"It_**is**_ Saturday night in Middleton, after all, ladies and gentlemen; the Fannies are on hold, so guess what that means?" the familiar voice came over the sound system, and Sarah's hand squeezed PRT's arm.

"It's time to rebuild your computers, all you closet geeks 'out there, in here,'" the announcer from Middleton Teen Settlement laughed, "so you _**know**_ you'll need…

"The NEW MOTHERBOARDS!" and the curtain remained closed to the opening chords of "A Woman Like You," and several ladies in the audience screamed their approval.

"Sarah," Wade's face appeared on the transparent screen that appeared in front of her, "a little 'Thank You,' from 'neb and me," and Sarah squeezed PRT's arm even harder as the curtain opened to -

(Chip)_**I've walked in the wrong direction; I've played with the doubt inside my mind **_  
(Alex and Jennifer, in harmony) _**de de de de de de de de**_

Sarah fingered her engagement ring and smiled up at her BFBFF, and Chip winked.

(Chip)_**I've walked in the wrong direction; I've played with the doubt inside my mind **_  
( Alex and Jennifer, in harmony) _**de de de de de de de de**_  
(Chip)_**I've sunk in my own reflection, I've passed every mountain I could climb**_  
( Alex and Jennifer) _**de de de de de de de de**_

'neb had wanted to hear the song, live, but he was surprised when he realized that Sarah had left her seat and was now on stage with Chip, wearing a micro-headset so it didn't mess up her hair, and she began to sing to Chip as he sang to her.

(Sarah)_**I've dreamt of a calmer ocean, I've swum so much deeper through the blue**__  
__**I've toyed with the darkest notion, But I've never held a man like you,**_  
( Alex and Jennifer)_**like you**_  
(Sarah and Chip, in harmony)_**I've wished that I could hold someone like you**_

'neb smiled because he saw Kim and Ron, Wade and Joss, KarenStern05 and Felix ('now, I didn't expect that!') and KimRon PosStoppable, with Walter Nelson, all dancing in the aisles between the tables.

(Chip)_**I've cleaned up one thousand tables **_(the audience laughed), _**I've cleaned up drunk cheerleaders and **_(he paused for a second) _**jocks**_(to even more laughs)  
( Alex and Jennifer) _**de de de de de de de de**__  
_(Chip)_**I've even done athlete's laundry; I've washed, oh, so many dirty **_(he paused for a second) _**socks**_(more laughter)  
( Alex and Jennifer) _**de de de de de de de de**_

(Sarah)_**I've danced with evening spirits, I've seen every star there is to view;  
I've read every poet's lyrics, But I've never been with a man like you, **_  
( Alex and Jennifer) _**like you**_**  
**(Sarah and Chip, in harmony) _**I've dreamed that I could hold someone like you**_

As Sarah began to sing, Star felt a light tapping on his shoulder. He looked shocked when he realized that kt was standing and offering him her hand. He grinned as he stood and bowed to her. She curtsied, and the two of them headed out to the dance floor. ja, not to be outdone, had gone, literally, behind 'neb's back (well, the chair, since 'neb wasn't in it, and ja wondered where he had gone) and offered a hand to Akinyi. She blushed a bit when she stood, but she was all smiles as the two of them followed Star and kt to the floor.

ja got his answer when he stepped out and realized that 'neb was already out there with a beaming Rhonda Fatigable, and 'neb was being the gentleman that Grimm was afraid he would be: 'the perfect Southern gentleman,' Star grinned inside.

Sarah opened up her vocal chords this time, and she surprised everyone who hadn't heard her sing, but not C. P.: he had heard her, and he was delighted to hear her belt out a song with so much passion:

(Sarah)_**I know all the rules to every game,  
I know when the skies will start to rain  
How come I never knew your name?**_

"All you had to do was ask me," kt whispered, and Star blushed.

_**And when every dream that I rely **_**  
**_**all turn to sand, and if I die**_

Sarah suddenly got a lot quieter, and she and Chip sang together:

(Sarah and Chip, in harmony) _**Please, won't you be the one to cry (for me).**_

"Yes, I will," 'neb and Rhonda both whispered, and 'neb beat her to it:

"Jinx! You owe me," 'neb kissed her cheek, Rhonda blushed and giggled, and Grimm contemplated five different ways that he could dispose of 'neb's body and not get caught.

Sarah and Chip took each other's hands and faced each other to sing this next verse, spreading their arms apart as if they were trying to hold the whole world in their grasp:

(Chip and Sarah) _**One night by a moonlit river, I would give the world to have you there**_  
( Alex and Jennifer) _**de de de de de de de de**__  
_(Chip and Sarah) _**One song that my soul delivers as an answer to my prayer **_  
( Alex and Jennifer) _**de de de de de de de de**_

Wade stepped over to Kim, and Ron stepped over to Joss, and they danced together for the first time this evening

(Chip and Sarah) _**I'll wait 'til the mountains fall, **_**  
**_**I've stood 'til the skies came tumbling, too**_  
( Alex and Jennifer) _**I will sacrifice and give it all**_

Chip and Sarah took each other in their arms, and the music dropped almost off the sound system:

(Chip) _**now that I'm holding a woman like you, **_

( Sarah) _**like you**_

Chip took Sarah back into his arms, and he looked directly into her eyes and sang as if she were the only person in the room:

(Chip)_** now that I know I love a woman like you, like you, **_

(Sarah) _**like you**_

The musicians reprised the melody while Chip and Sarah danced on stage to the applause of the audience, and the dancers continued.

"Thank you, dear lady, for the wonderful dance," ja smiled as he twirled Akinyi, and she giggled slightly as he returned her to his hold. "You dance wonderfully," he added, and Akinyi…

'Not again!' Akinyi felt her face turn a bit of red. 'What is it about these 'surrogate fathers of mine' that makes them able to do this to me, **all** of the time?'

ja read her thoughts from the expression on her face and replied, continuing to dance, "Because you are beautiful inside and out, dear lady. All you need is the confidence to believe. Remember: when a person like you lives in your head," he smiled, "feelings are secondary; they are interpretations of mental images that are fed back to you. When awareness is focused on memories of past experiences and old mental verbalizations, the energy flow lessens. Without nurturing feelings of the heart, anxiety arises and self doubt takes over. In short you just have to believe in yourself."

"Whoa," Akinyi replied with a hint of a smile. "That's pretty deep."

A wry smile appeared on ja's lips as he adjusted his fedora, never missing a beat. "Now you know where kt gets it from."

Akinyi shook her head laughing. "I should have known."

Star and kt danced silently, occasionally looking at each other and smiling.

When the music ended, "Thank you, kt: you are a really good dancer," Star smiled as bent over at the waist and kissed her hand.

"Why thank you, kind suh," kt replied in a Southern accent, and Star laughed with her as he walked her back toward their seats.

**-----**

Ran Hakubi had slipped outside as the music started and the couples headed to the dance floor. He reached for a cigarette, and then he realized that he'd left them in the hotel.

'Just as well,' he thought as he looked skyward.

"Penny for your thoughts, Ran," a familiar voice came from behind him, and those hands he loved wrapped around his arm.

"Shouldn't that be a nickel, after adjusting for inflation?" Ran asked, and Tara resisted the temptation to whack the back of his head. Ran stood silent for a long time, enjoying the warmth of the outside and of the wonderful young woman who was now leaning her head on his shoulder, her blond hair draping gracefully onto his chest.

'Now I know what 'neb meant,' Ran thought wryly, and he smiled. "Actually, Tara, I'm worried about the closing, Tara," he replied honestly.

"Why, Ran? It's wonderful: I sat through one of the first rehearsals with Mags, Captain IT, the orchestra and chorus, and Kim, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house when they finished, including mine," Tara squeezed his arm with hers.

"You're kidding, right?" he turned and looked at her, and Tara was surprised to see real fear in Ran's eyes.

"Serious as Mr. Sitdown, Ran: fear is for the foolish, and, after spending time with you, I've come to learn that you're no fool." She smiled and pecked his cheek, and then added:

"At least, where your writing is concerned," Tara replied in a dead-pan manner, and Ran couldn't help but laugh.

"C'mon, Ran, I've got to get you back inside before it starts?"

"What starts?" Ran asked while Tara cajoled him back inside.

"'Let's Fall in Love,'" Tara replied, and Ran stopped suddenly.

"Wait, Tara: you're pretty and all, but don't you think that this is a bit, you know, sudden?" Ran asked with more than a hint of fear and excitement in his voice.

Tara laughed. "No, silly the Cole Porter song, and you and I are going to take a part."

"Oh," Ran replied as they came inside. "Who's Cole Porter?" Ran asked, and Tara smacked him on the back of the head, this repaid him with a kiss on the cheek.

'I don't blush; I don't blush; I don't blush; oh, snap,' Ran felt his face turn red, and Tara giggled as they turned back toward the entrance.

"Kidding, Ran: Ron said that he and Kim's dad had something planned that would be, as he put it with air quotes," she used her lovely fingers to make the motions, 'unforgettable," and they re-entered the Center. "We'll save Cole for the Fannies next weekend," she added.

**-----**

**Author's afterward:**

It's not the show you expected…

The Fannies are here, so who won? We'll find out, next Saturday…

-----

Next, on_** Road Trip**_

**P1, C8: an 'Unforgettable' ending and week**

-----

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

-----

2008.02.27

-----


	8. P1C8: an ‘Unforgettable’ ending and week

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

A bit of a surprise for Jocelyn, and an adventure for all

-----

**P1, C8: an 'Unforgettable' ending and week**

-----

"I know, and I wouldn't dare to even think that I could ever take Monique's place, but I always thought you were cute," KarenStern05 admitted to her date for the Fannies, Felix Renton, wondering to herself where she got the courage to tell a hunk like Felix how she felt about him. Karen blushed inside, and she could feel her skin warming red.

Felix smiled outside, but his heart jumped and did cartwheels inside.

Monique has been his first, mainly because girls didn't know that he wasn't broken in the head, just the legs, but here, amazingly enough, was another, and she was pretty, too….

'She thinks I'm cute!' Felix wanted to dance with her, carry her into the air, but he promised to be good…for a bit, he grinned as he gently pressed her hands into his when the music began….

-----

The musicians reprised the melody while Chip and Sarah danced on stage to the applause of the audience, and the dancers continued.

"Thank you, dear lady, for the wonderful dance," ja smiled as he twirled Akinyi, and she giggled slightly as he returned her to his hold. "You dance wonderfully," he added, and Akinyi…

'Not again!' Akinyi felt her face turn a bit of red. 'What is it about these 'surrogate fathers of mine' that makes them able to do this to me, **all** of the time?'

Star and kt danced silently, occasionally looking at each other and smiling.

When the music ended, "Thank you, kt: you are really a very good dancer," Star smiled as bent over at the waist and kissed her hand as he hoped that he hadn't stepped on her toes. He remembered the lessons that his mother had given him on "slow dancing" when he younger then kt, but after all the operations on his knee in the past few years it could and sometimes did give way at odd times. And, it seemed, to sometimes take on a mind of it own and led to him stepping on his wife's toes when they danced together; judging from the smile on kt's face, he had managed to keep her toes safe and intact from the evil 'knee bunnies.'.

"Why, thank you, kind suh," kt replied in a Southern accent, and Star laughed with her as he walked her back toward their seats.

**-----**

Ran Hakubi had slipped outside as the music started and the couples headed to the dance floor. He reached for a cigarette, and then he realized that he'd left them in the hotel.

'Just as well,' he thought as he looked skyward.

"Penny for your thoughts, Ran," a familiar voice came from behind him, and those hands he loved wrapped around his arm.

"Actually, Tara, I'm worried about the closing," he replied honestly.

"Why, Ran? It's wonderful: I sat through one of the first rehearsals with Mags, Captain IT, the orchestra and chorus, and Kim, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house when they finished, including mine," Tara squeezed his arm with hers.

"You're kidding, right?" he turned and looked at her; Tara was surprised to see real fear in Ran's eyes.

"Serious as Mr. Sitdown, Ran: fear is for the foolish, and, after spending time with you, I've come to learn that you're no fool." She smiled and pecked his cheek, and then added:

"At least, where your writing is concerned," Tara replied in a dead-pan manner, and Ran couldn't help but laugh.

"C'mon, Ran, I've got to get you back inside before it starts."

"What starts?" Ran asked while Tara cajoled him back inside.

"'Let's Fall in Love,'" Tara replied, and Ran stopped suddenly.

"Wait, Tara: you're pretty and all, but don't you think that this is a bit, you know, sudden?" Ran asked with more than a hint of fear and excitement in his voice.

Tara laughed. "No, silly the Cole Porter song, and you and I are going to take a part."

"Oh," Ran replied as they came inside. "Who's Cole Porter?" Ran asked, and Tara smacked him on the back of the head, then repaid him with a kiss on the cheek.

'I don't blush; I don't blush; I don't blush; oh, snap,' Ran felt his face turn red, and Tara giggled as they turned back toward the entrance.

"Kidding, Ran: Ron said that he and Kim's dad had something planned that would be, as he put it with air quotes," she used her lovely fingers to make the motions, 'unforgettable," and they re-entered the Center. "We'll save Cole for the Fannies next weekend," she added.

**-----**

"**Where** have you been?" Sarah chided Chip while they danced and she nuzzled his neck.

"I'm sorry, Sarah, but we had a chance to do something special, and I couldn't talk about it," Chip smiled as he felt Sarah's lips on his neck.

"Oh, really?" Sarah smiled into his neck, and Chip smiled as he felt the expression.

"That's right, and we **still** can't talk about it, so don't ask," Chip smiled as he pulled Sarah's face from his body and held it in his hands. "But, the entire time I was gone, I was thinking of you," Chip lifted her hand and kissed it as they continued to dance.

"Riiiiight," Sarah grinned. "I know that it was **really** your excuse to get with Alex and Jen and go off to have a ménage a trois," Sarah laughed when she saw Alex make major faces at her, and Jennifer blew a raspberry at her as the band continued to play.

"I told them: no more contracts if I had to keep everything secret: I can't stand to be away from my lady love for that long again," Chip smiled as they stopped and kissed on stage, and the band played on….

**-----**

It was a Thursday…

It was the Thursday before the postponed Fannies, and no one had heard from Zaratan, so everyone was assuming that everything was a 'go.'

'Neb woke up to the smell of pancakes grilling, and he tossed on his robe and slippers over his newly-acquired adult-sized Captain Constellation Pajamas (a gift, with a laugh, from Wade and Joss) and headed from one of the Load guestrooms and to the kitchen.

Ryan and Wade were grilling, and Ron had joined them this morning, having no classes on Thursdays. Rufus was calmly watching the events, but he perked up when he saw 'neb walk in.

"Hello, 'nebster," Rufus chuckled, and Ryan and Wade both turned around in their aprons.

'neb laughed at the printing on them:

Ryan's apron read: _** "MS: it's an equal opportunity disease: let's do something about it."**_

Wade's apron read: _**"Oops: it isn't just for breakfast, anymore."**_

"Lovin' the aprons, guys," 'neb sat and watched the dance of the Three Cooks.

"So, it's today," ja said as he walked into the kitchen, Rachel on one arm and Dr. Elizabeth "Betty" Director-Possible on the other. "Look what I found outside, 'neb," he grinned and adjusted his fedora after releasing the ladies from his clutches.

"Betty!" 'neb shouted as he jumped up to get a hug from the Director of Global Justice, and she didn't disappoint him.

"How are we?" 'neb asked, and Betty looked over 'neb's shoulder, laughing.

"Do_**you**_ have a mouse in your pocket, 'neb?" Betty asked with a smile on her face, and she felt 'neb's body temperature rise.

"HEY!" Rufus yelled at her and shot her a bucktooth raspberry, successfully spraying most of the people in the kitchen.

"Sorry," he laughed.

"No, you're not," Wade replied, handing out towels.

"Is the 'mall crawl' today?" Betty asked, and 'neb nodded.

"And, no, ja, that doesn't mean we get to go into 'Alexandra's Confessions' or that new one, 'Toni's Tease,' either."

"Besides, Joss will be taking too many of them in there, and we'd just get caught," Wade added with a grin.

"Is that place age-appropriate for kt?" Ron asked, and ja laughed.

"You haven't seen her sisters, Ron," and Ron blushed at the thought of an older kt.

"Besides, Ron: all us 'old farts' want to know how you talked Kim into that last song last Saturday night," 'neb added, and Ron grinned as he dished out the last of the pancakes onto the piled-high platter and placed it in the center of the dinner table.

"I'll tell you," Ron started, and ja and 'neb both leaned forward, "but not until we get to the mall."

"Oh, man," ja and 'neb groused, and Ryan laughed.

"Who're you calling old?" The laugh was familiar, and 'neb and ja turned, and their smiles grew huge as they stood.

"Dr. Possible," 'neb shook Dr. James Timothy Possible's hand, followed by ja.

"'Dr. P, you've got a lov-er-ly daughter,'" ja sang, and the room erupted into laughter as James tossed a dark, black, circular piece of cardboard at ja, Frisbee-style, but ja dodged it. Rufus went up in the air and grabbed it in his mouth and came back down, grinning like a…well, like a naked mole rat with a hole in his mouth.

"It was a joint affair, ja," James pulled up a chair and took a cup of coffee from Ryan. "Ron and I decided that we needed to do something for these wonderful women, and a conversation with C. P. and, later, with 'neb, confirmed what we needed to do. I was just happy that 'neb managed to get Mags here for the party: we could have done it without her and the group, but it wouldn't have been the same.

"Thank you, again," James lifted the cup of coffee at 'neb; he smiled and shook his head 'no.'

"Thank you, sir, for allowing me to tell the story of that night of the launch and the aftermath," 'neb grinned. "And, for not launching me when Anne kissed me," 'neb laughed.

"'No big,' 'neb," James said in a dead-pan voice, and the laughter was shortened when Ron held up his hand.

"Do you want to know, or not?" Everyone nodded. "Very well," Ron continued, and he sat in front of a pile of pecan pancakes and began to talk and eat at the same time.

"If you recall," Ron began, "most of the folks had left after dancing and/or singing along for over two hours after dinner, and KP and I were dancing in front of the stage, along with Felix and KarenStern05, kt and Jay (who had finally managed to get up the nerve to ask her to dance), Twila Starla and Darth Comrade, Dr. Adams and pinkymint, and Mr. and Mrs. Doctors. P," Ron smiled as he remembered….

-----

Joss was laughing at kt, eating a banana.

"GF, you had better never, ever, let a boy see you do that to a banana: they'll pass out, just like Wade did at the bunker," Joss almost choked, and kt looked confused for a moment, then blushed very berry red and finished her fruit.

"So, ladies, are we ready?" Kim came walking in. "I even brought reinforcements," she smiled as Monique and Rebecca Jane Casey came walking in, and the ladies all squealed in excitement.

"And, I even brought more reinforcements," and the former MHS Cheer Squad, along with both Sarah and Justine, all came in, but kt's eye was on one special lady.

"Hello, Bonnie," kt walked up to her and shook her hand.

"Hello, kt," Bonnie smiled, and kt was glad she'd changed two summers ago.

kt motioned for Bonnie to bend over; she did, and kt whispered into her ear: "You think I could get Rebecca Jane to help me with one of those swimsuits like she did for you and Justine and Joss?" kt looked hopeful, and Bonnie smiled.

"As long as you understand 'what's important,' kt," Bonnie replied with a whisper, and kt laughed.

"Bonnie! Puh-lese: look at who I have as a father and an adopted godfather," she replied. "You think I'd dare anything else?"

"Good point," Bonnie replied, herself wearing a smile, as well.

"I'm glad you agree," kt replied, and she gave Bonnie a big hug, much to Bonnie's surprise.

"Why did you do that?" Bonnie asked, and kt looked up and grinned.

"You looked like you could use a hug, and neb wasn't around, so…" she grinned as Bonnie pinked a bit underneath her perfect tan.

"Is he really, you know," Bonnie asked, and she blushed even more.

"He is, indeed, 'all that,' Bonnie," kt replied, and Bonnie fanned herself.

"Where to, first?" Monique asked, and Akinyi stepped in first.

"'Don't 'Thoreau' It Away: I've always wanted to try that used book store," she grinned, and Monique looked at Kim and sighed audibly.

"More pretty geeks," Monique dead-panned, and she and Kim both laughed along with Akinyi and the rest of the ladies as they headed for the mall.

"kt, how do you feel about 'special' clothing?" Monique asked as they rode the elevator down, and Kim resisted the urge to LOL…seriously.

-----

"Whoa, Nellie, Wade would faint if he ever thought I was wearing one of these," Joss laughed as she held up another piece of intimate apparel.

"My sister has one of those…I think," kt laughed, and Twila blushed as she looked onto a table filled with things she had read about but didn't believe actually existed.

"Ace, have you ever…" Twila asked, and Ace's face was almost as red as her hair.

"I know someone who would like to see a certain someone in this," Monique held up a diaphanous light emerald baby doll nightgown, and Kim laughed.

"Got it, he's seen it, and he passed out already from it," Kim smiled serenely, and Monique's jaw dropped open along with Akinyi, Twila, and Ace.

kt just giggled.

"Spill, GF, spill," Monique ordered, but Kim shook her head 'no.'

"What about you and Felix and this one," Kim asked as she held up an ivory white baby doll nightgown. "This will show off those legs that Felix loves," she added, and Monique blushed even more, much to the delight of the young ladies there.

"I'm getting this for Arnold," Rebecca Jane smiled as she held up 'a little nothing,' and a young man fell over a bench that must have moved into his way.

"Ma'am," he spoke to Rebecca Jane, "I would gladly change my name to Arnold if I could see you wear that," he smiled and took Rebecca Jane's hand, kissing it gently, and then taking off out of the store and down the hallway in the mall while Rebecca Jane blushed and the other ladies laughed.

He turned the corner and ran into an isolated corner and stopped. Looking around, he darted into an unlit area, and Camille Leon emerged.

"They'll never know," she laughed as she walked out of the corner and into the light, but not before changing into 'Ace Ian Combat' before she left the mall.

"I think I'll get these for Dad," kt grinned evilly and held up two very naughty nighties.

Akinyi looked stunned, but it was Kathrine who laughed the loudest. "Don't tell me…" her voice trailed, but her smile remained, large as the sun.

kt laughed, and then she realized what Kathrine was talking about and laughed even harder while she blushed.

"No, no, no, no, no, Kathrine, it's not like that at all," kt laughed. I'm buying these for Mom to wear, but you know who will really get the most enjoyment out of them," she giggled.

"Yeah, I bought one of those for Mom and Dad before Graduation, and look at what it got me last month," Kim laughed, and kt dropped the garments like they were out-of-date cheese for Rufus.

Monique laughed and picked them up, handing them back to kt. 'Mom and dad get these, you get the Peach Fried Pie all to yourself," she grinned, and kt snatched them up.

The pile of bags almost overwhelmed the two Wadebots that came out of the store, and they deposited them in front of ja, cpneb, Dr. Adams, Wade, Captain IT (who had managed to get a message to Wade that he wanted to come back early so he could 'stir up some more trouble of the PFP kind,' and Wade agreed), Ron, James, and Star.

The number of bags was becoming staggering: the books, from 'Don't 'Thoreau' It Away' alone, was a pile of bags and boxes, and the other stores weren't alone. kt had managed to find 'The Olde Candie Shoppe,' but ja had put a hold when she came out with the third five-pound box of her favorites. Lady Rhetorica had disappeared into a Nancy's and returned later with a bag and wearing something different: a MIST sweatshirt. She was followed by Mags, wearing the same shirt design but in the alternate colors.

"Think this will get some attention back home?" Lady Rhetorica laughed as the guys' jaws dropped.

"Dear lady, that is so not fair to us," Dr, Adams stood, bowed, and smiled. "You are even more beautiful than I realized," he added as he reached for her hand. "Might we go and discuss literature away from these cretins?" he asked, and she surprised herself by taking his hand, giggling, and walking away, leaving several shocked men in her wake.

"What do you think, 'neb?" Mags vamped up to him and shocked everyone by pulling him into a passionate kiss.

"----" was Ron's response, but the two separated and laughed.

"Ron, you've never seen a stage kiss up close and personal, have you?" Mags asked, and Ron shook his head 'no' while 'neb shook his head violently 'NO!' "Well, let me show you," Mags pulled Ron to her and proceeded to kiss him.

It was no movie kiss: it was the real thing.

Ron had only one thought in his mind:

'Black hole deep, black hole deep, black hole deep, black hole deep: Kim sees me, it's black hole deep.'

James laughed when Ron came up for air.

"What do you think? Too revealing?" pinkymint had asked 'neb inside Nancy's earlier. She had found something that she really thought would be a different item for her wardrobe that she had contemplated to set herself apart from the other dancers by dressing more formally on the way to perform a gig.

"pinkymint, on you, nothing looks bad; in fact, I'm convinced that, if you taped money to yourself, no one would look at the money," 'neb replied, and she walked over and kissed 'neb.

"Thank you, sir, but I'm not that pretty," she replied, and a group of signs with 11.0 all went up behind 'neb's head: Ron, Felix, Big Mike, Chip, and C. P. were all grinning and holding signs. She gasped as 'neb turned his head, smiled, and turned back to look at her, still smiling.

"Well, 'once again,' pinkymint, 'I believe you are incorrect' in your assessment," 'neb smiled, and she smiled in return.

-----

Ron remembered that night, and he was certain that he would remember it, forever. The two men had planned it for weeks, and they'd even managed to rehearse with the orchestra, much to the delight of Mags and the ladies of the orchestra and chorus. Both men were 'punished' by being forced to sign several autographs and 'endure' several picture-taking sessions and kisses, but they were certain that the punishment would, indeed, fit the crime.

"If you recall, The Doctors P were dancing; a spotlight suddenly hit them, and the music stopped."

"Anne," James began as a microphone 'magically appeared in his hand, "you are beautiful beyond words, tonight. Many of you," James addressed the crowd, "may not have known that my wonderful wife, just under three weeks ago, gave birth to our next set of 'Tweebs,' or 'Tweebs-2,'as Kimmie-cub called them, and look at this woman: as beautiful as the day we married," and Anne blushed as the remaining guests applauded and whistled approvingly.

"Well, dear, I just wanted to say 'thank you' for a wonderful life, and I could think of no better way than this," and Mags, giving the down beat, started the strings on a soaring passage, adding the woodwinds and a small brushes-on-cymbal undercurrent that lead to the familiar entry. The lights dimmed, leaving a spotlight on the couple. James waited and took his cue, beginning to sing to his blushing and smiling bride:

(James)

"Unforgettable, that's how I knew  
"Unforgettable, you loved me, true," and Anne smiled and blew her husband a kiss.

"Like your love," James continued, "that just strengthened me  
"I never, never, I never thought I'd see  
"Anyone else who would be like you and me."

The spot cut out and was replaced by another, this time on Kim and Ron. Kim was, literally, sitting on a pedestal where Ron had placed her, and he was standing on a shorter one and looking up at her with more love than 'neb thought the room could hold. Ron took his cue, and he began to sing to his fiancée:

(Ron)

"Unforgettable, that's what you are," and Ron held up his hands,

"Unforgettable though near or far," now Kim stepped down and into his arms, and Ron gracefully placed her beside him,  
"Like a song of love that clings to me,  
"How the thought of you does things to me," Ron grinned, and Kim blushed as the remainder of the audience applauded quickly and the stopped just as fast,  
"Never before has someone been more…"

The second spotlight returned, and it found James and Anne, embracing as they stepped onto the pedestal that held Kim and Ron, and then the two gentlemen serenaded their loves in harmony, Ron taking the tenor melody and James taking the baritone harmony:

(James and Ron)

"Unforgettable, in every way  
"And forever more, that's how you'll stay  
"That's why, my love, it's incredible  
"That someone so unforgettable  
"Thinks that I am unforgettable, too."

The two men helped their partners-for-life down from the platform, and they began to dance to the song while the orchestra played and the chorus sang softly. They were joined by almost all of the remaining couples, and Ron and Kim smiled as they saw 'neb finally work up the courage to offer his hand to a smiling Akinyi. He led her to the dance floor, and they began tentatively at first, but finally with confidence, to dance and enjoy each other's company. C. P. was enjoying the company of pinkymint. Kim giggled and pointed for Ron's eyes to follow, and Ron saw ja dancing with Kathrine Elizabeth Load, while kt had snagged Star once again and was dancing with, in Kim's opinion, a "Joss Possible-to Ron Stoppable, pre-Wade Load" look on her face. It didn't seem to bother Star: he was smiling and dancing comfortably with her.

Felix had taken the opportunity to get KarenStern05 back to the floor sans Kip; Kip spent her time sitting on the edge of Karen's dinner plate and watching the proceedings. Grimm had managed to get Rhonda's attention, and Kim marveled at Grimm's amazing dancing skills: Rhonda wasn't complaining, either.

Pharaoh Rutin Tutin had Sarah in his arms as they danced, and her lovely deep blue gown was shimmering in the lights remaining in the Center. Lady Rhetorica was dancing with Rufus, and she was still amazed that that naked mole rat could cut a rug as well as he did. Chip was dancing with Jade, and Jade was wondering if Sarah would mind terribly if Jade borrowed Chip for, oh, let's say, 30 or 40 years.

Ran and Tara were smiling at Sir Sebastian and Crystal: she had her neck nuzzled into his. "'whitem certainly doesn't look too disappointed in Liz," Tara laughed as the two of them appeared to be in a world all their own.

kt looked up and smiled big: Ino had finally managed to get Mike onto the dance floor, and the twosome were smiling huge smiles as they danced, barely moving from a single spot yet enjoying everything the music had to offer.

The rest were up and going or enjoying the show, smiling and applauding as the spotlights roamed the dancers and landed on a couple for at least 30 seconds. Even Bego was enjoying herself, but she was recalculating the 'cute butt' ratio and smiling even more as another couple came dancing past her seat.

She decided to take a change, though, and she stood and walked over to CajunBear73 and smiled her most natural smile.

"Would.you.care.to.dance.with.me?" she asked, fully expecting a rejection, but CajunBear73 surprised her and took her hand as he stood. He escorted her to the dance floor, and they began to dance.

'She's good,' Cajunbear73 thought.

"He's really good,' Bego's thoughts kept her attention .

Mags gave the musicians a cue, and they went into the bridge for the final verse to be sung.

Akinyi looked up at 'neb with tears in her eyes as the foursome began to sing, and she realized that he had them in his, too.

"It wasn't meant to be, Akinyi; sometimes, the universe just plays cruel jokes on us, just to see if it can get a rise out of us," 'neb replied to her unasked question, but Akinyi shook her head 'no' several times.

"It's not fair, 'neb; and, before you get off on your 'fair is what you take a pig to,' I know you're married and have kids older than me, but why can't I find you at age 16, or even 15?" she, by now, was crying a river of sadness. 'neb retrieved his handkerchief and dabbed at her tears, and she grabbed his hand.

"**This** is what I'm talking about: I have no gentlemen callers to treat me like this, and it vexes me so," she laughed, but 'neb could still feel the hurt in her.

"Akinyi: you know, don't you, that I will always love you, just not like that…as long as you promise to never, ever, again wear that red dress again, anywhere where I might see it," 'neb laughed, and he drew a laugh from Akinyi. "I don't think my heart would be able to withstand the strain, once again," neb added, and Akinyi smiled and winked at 'neb, causing him, this time, to blush. "Good friends, close friends: we will always be," he continued, "but the rest will have to continue to be a fantasy, part of our imagination," he smiled.

"And, you **know** I have a very vivid imagination," Akinyi grinned, and 'neb blushed and shuddered as he imagined the imagination of a very healthy and attractive 16-year-old girl with a black belt in karate. "How's the ankle, by the way?" 'neb asked, and Akinyi smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

"What was that for?" 'neb asked, not at all complaining, but confused.

"You haven't asked me once all night, not even about my upcoming session Monday: that showed how much you cared about me, that you trusted me to do the right thing," Akinyi smiled as she looked into her new favorite pear of brown eyes and giggled. "'I think I'll keep you around,' 'neb," she added as the bridge was coming to an end.

"Goes double for me, adopted goddaughter," 'neb smiled, tears falling from his eyes.

'She likes me for me, not what I look like or anything else: she truly likes me, and she really cares about me, too," was the thought that triggered his tears, but the words of the song played through his mind as they danced their own dance while the rest of the audience stood around Kim, Ron, Anne, and James as the foursome finished the song:

(James and Ron)

"Unforgettable, in every way,"  
(Anne and Kim)

"And forever more, that's how you'll stay"  
(James and Ron)

"That's why, my love, it's incredible"  
(Anne and Kim)

"That someone so unforgettable…"

'He's unforgettable,' was Akinyi's thought.

'She's unforgettable,' was 'neb's thought.

'He's unforgettable,' was kt's thought as she smiled at Star.

'She's unforgettable,' was Star's thought as he smiled at kt, and then he looked at the almost-doppelganger in his arms named Kathrine and had the same thought.

'Star's unforgettable,' Kathrine Load thought as she squeezed his hand. 'If he were younger, he might give me a reason to consider him over Mikey Lopez…NAAHHH!' and she giggled out loud. 'On the other hand,' Kathrine thought, and that thought made her blush more than she had ever done in her life, and she wanted to sit down before the blood rush took her down. 'Oh, my…' she grinned as her imagination ran rampant.

'Felix equals unforgettable,' was KarenStern05's thought.

'She's unforgettable,' was Felix's thought as he tried mightily to resist pulling her into his lap and kissing her the way he kissed Monique.

'He's unforgettable,' was Crystal's thought as she wrapped her arm around Double-S's waist and held him tighter.

'I can't ever pay 'neb what I owe him for this: she's brilliant, beautiful, witty, engaging…she's truly unforgettable,' was Sir Sebastian's thought as he felt her lean her head on his shoulders and smelled her. "Strawberries and mint? Only in Middleton," he laughed inside as he enjoyed the feeling.

'It's wonderful, mahvelous, that he should care for me,' Liz sang in her head as whitem held her during the end as they watched the foursome finish their song. 'I wonder if I could talk him into staying here for a bit longer,' was her thought.

'Wow,' was the first thing that whitem remembered thinking when he first saw Liz in the flesh, and he had expanded his mental vocabulary where she was concerned considerably. 'I wonder if I can get passes to come over here, like mass transit passes' he thought, laughed at the idea, and decided to ask Wade about the possibility.

(James and Ron, Anne and Kim)

"Thinks that I am unforgettable. too"

The strings finished the wonderful ending, and everyone who wasn't already crying had started as the foursome kissed.

'She's unforgettable,' was 'neb's thought as he pulled Akinyi tight and hugged her, tears for what could never be but the love that two friends had for each other finally overwhelming both of them.

"By Jove, I think they've got it," ja sang to himself in his best 'Henry Higgins' voice, and both kt and Kathrine whistled 'The Rain, in Spain….'

-----

"Unforgettable, in every way," was the song going through Akinyi's mind as she got dressed, once again, for the Fannies ceremony.

"Unforgettable, in every way," was the song going through Kim's mind as she got dressed, once again, for the Fannies ceremony.

"And, forevermore, that's how you'll stay," Anne sang to her husband as he clipped on his cufflinks as she stood in her dressing room, deciding if she should wear that dress again or something entirely different.

"That's why, my love, it's incredible," Sir Sebastian sang as he adjusted his glasses and smiled.

"That's why, my love, it's incredible," Crystal sang as she slipped on her dress, and a thought crossed her mind: 'Girls do make passes at guys who wear glasses,' she smiled. 'He is _**so**_ handsome,' she thought, and that thought made it into Crystal's system, causing another response. 'He would certainly like them,' she grinned as she adjusted the top of her dress. "He certainly did, last week," she said out loud, and Tara looked over at her and laughed.

"GF, you've got it baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad," Tara said, and Crystal laughed back at her.

"Look who's talking, Miss 'I want to get 'Ran over,' again and again, all night long,'" Crystal joked, and Tara blushed; the thought _**had**_ crossed her mind on more than one occasion this week, but Ran was too much of a gentleman to at on her advances.

'Am I even good enough for Ran Hakubi?' Tara asked herself, and she got no reply as she continued to dress and wonder….

"Unforgettable, in every way," was the song going through Kim's mind as she got dressed, once again, for the Fannies ceremony.

"And, forevermore, that's how you'll stay," Ron sang to the mirror and the picture of his fiancée on the dresser. "You and I have both been busy all week, Rufus: we've barely seen each other," Ron grinned as Rufus adjusted his bow tie.

"Lady," Rufus sang in a squeak, and even he pink'ed a bit.

It was time, they all thought, as they all walked toward their limousines for the return trip to the 3rd Annual Fannie Awards Presentation.

"At least, I won't be going home empty-handed," Star said to no on in particular. He was remembering the Dark Chocolate Pie that Sato had made for him to taste, and he had given it a two-thumbs-up; he enjoyed the hot serving of pie, topped with the same ice cream that graced the PFP. Sato had agreed to make a pan-full of the heavenly concoction and toss in a 1.25 gallon container of the ice cream for Star to take home. Sato would make the pie personally: no assistants or pastry chefs, here.

'Momma should be happy, now,' Star laughed inside. "It's time."

"It's time," Camille told Debutante, and she morphed into a younger woman, a writer, and left for the Fannies.

"It's showtime," Mags said to herself as she slipped on her Music Director's persona and looked in the dressing room mirror, then decided 'what the hay?' and went outside to grab three of the trays of fruit and cheese and pull them into her dressing room, propping the door open and motioning for the grips to come in and sit for a bit before they had to get to work tonight.

"'Tonight, tonight, we will see stars, tonight,'" Tricia and Summer sang to themselves as they stood on the red carpet and waited for the first limousines to arrive.

"I'm going to the Fannies with all of my adopted goddaughters, good friends, and fun:

"Who could ask for anything more?" 'neb sang in the limo, and he was pelted with Pixie Stick wrappers by everyone.

Grape, of course.

**-----**

**Author's afterward:**

It's not the show you expected, but the one you were expecting is here.

Yes, indeed: the Fannies are here, so who won? We'll find out, tonight …

-----

Next, on_** Road Trip**_

**P2, C1: …and, the winners were….**

-----

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

-----

2008.03.01

-----


	9. P1C9: an unexpected MIA

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

A bit of a surprise for Jocelyn, and an adventure for all

-----

**P1, C9: an unexpected MIA**

-----

Ron remembered that night, and he was certain that he would remember it, forever. The two men had planned it for weeks, and they'd even managed to rehearse with the orchestra, much to the delight of Mags and the ladies of the orchestra and chorus. Both men were 'punished' by being forced to sign several autographs and 'endure' several picture-taking sessions and kisses, but they were certain that the punishment would, indeed, fit the crime.

"Many of you," James addressed the crowd, "may not have known that my wonderful wife, just under three weeks ago, gave birth to our next set of 'Tweebs,' or 'Tweebs-2,'as Kimmie-cub called them, and look at this woman: as beautiful as the day we married," and Anne blushed as the remaining guests applauded and whistled approvingly.

"Well, dear, I just wanted to say 'thank you' for a wonderful life, and I could think of no better way than this," and Mags, giving the down beat, started the strings on a soaring passage, adding the woodwinds and a small brushes-on-cymbal undercurrent that lead to the familiar entry. The lights dimmed, leaving a spotlight on the couple. James waited and took his cue, beginning to sing to his blushing and smiling bride:

(James)

"Unforgettable, that's how I knew  
"Unforgettable, you loved me, true," and Anne smiled and blew her husband a kiss.

"Like your love," James continued, "that just strengthened me  
"I never, never, I never thought I'd see  
"Anyone else who would be like you and me."

The spot cut out and was replaced by another, this time on Kim and Ron. Kim was, literally, sitting on a pedestal where Ron had placed her, and he was standing on a shorter one and looking up at her with more love than 'neb thought the room could hold. Ron took his cue, and he began to sing to his fiancée:

(Ron)

"Unforgettable, that's what you are," and Ron held up his hands,

"Unforgettable though near or far," now Kim stepped down and into his arms, and Ron gracefully placed her beside him,  
"Like a song of love that clings to me,  
"How the thought of you does things to me," Ron grinned, and Kim blushed as the remainder of the audience applauded quickly and the stopped just as fast,  
"Never before has someone been more…"

The second spotlight returned, and it found James and Anne, embracing as they stepped onto the pedestal that held Kim and Ron, and then the two gentlemen serenaded their loves in harmony, Ron taking the tenor melody and James taking the baritone harmony:

(James and Ron)

"Unforgettable, in every way  
"And forever more, that's how you'll stay  
"That's why, my love, it's incredible  
"That someone so unforgettable  
"Thinks that I am unforgettable, too."

The two men helped their partners-for-life down from the platform, and they began to dance to the song while the orchestra played and the chorus sang softly. They were joined by almost all of the remaining couples, and Ron and Kim smiled as they saw 'neb finally work up the courage to offer his hand to a smiling Akinyi. He led her to the dance floor, and they began tentatively at first, but finally with confidence, to dance and enjoy each other's company. C. P. was enjoying the company of pinkymint. Kim giggled and pointed for Ron's eyes to follow, and Ron saw ja dancing with Kathrine Elizabeth Load, while kt had snagged Star once again and was dancing with, in Kim's opinion, a "Joss Possible-to Ron Stoppable, pre-Wade Load" look on her face. It didn't seem to bother Star: he was smiling and dancing comfortably with her.

Felix had taken the opportunity to get KarenStern05 back to the floor sans Kip; Kip spent her time sitting on the edge of Karen's dinner plate and watching the proceedings. Grimm had managed to get Rhonda's attention, and Kim marveled at Grimm's amazing dancing skills: Rhonda wasn't complaining, either.

Pharaoh Rutin Tutin had Sarah in his arms as they danced, and her lovely deep blue gown was shimmering in the lights remaining in the Center. Lady Rhetorica was dancing with Rufus, and she was still amazed that that naked mole rat could cut a rug as well as he did. Chip was dancing with Jade, and Jade was wondering if Sarah would mind terribly if Jade borrowed Chip for, oh, let's say, 30 or 40 years.

Ran and Tara were smiling at Sir Sebastian and Crystal: she had her neck nuzzled into his. "whitem certainly doesn't look too disappointed in Liz," Tara laughed as the two of them appeared to be in a world all their own.

kt looked up and smiled big: Ino had finally managed to get Mike onto the dance floor, and the twosome were smiling huge smiles as they danced, barely moving from a single spot yet enjoying everything the music had to offer.

Bego decided to take a change, though, and she stood and walked over to CajunBear73 and smiled her most natural smile.

"Would.you.care.to.dance.with.me?" she asked, fully expecting a rejection, but CajunBear73 surprised her and took her hand as he stood. He escorted her to the dance floor, and they began to dance.

'She's good,' Cajunbear73 thought.

'Oh, he's really good,' Bego's thoughts kept her attention; 'really, really good,' she thought.

Mags gave the musicians a cue, and they went into the bridge for the final verse to be sung.

Akinyi looked up at 'neb with tears in her eyes when the foursome had started to sing, and she realized that he had tears in his eyes, as well.

"It wasn't meant to be, Akinyi; sometimes, the universe just plays a massively cruel joke on us, just to see if it can get our attention or make us laugh," 'neb replied to her unasked question, but Akinyi shook her head 'no' several times.

"It's not fair, 'neb; and, before you get off on your 'fair is what you take a pig to,' I know you're married and have kids older than me, but why can't I find you at age 16, or even 15?" she, by now, was crying a river of sadness. 'neb retrieved his handkerchief and dabbed at her tears, and she grabbed his hand.

"**This** is what I'm talking about: I have no 'gentlemen callers' to treat me like this, and it vexes me so," she laughed, but 'neb could still feel the hurt in her and see the sadness in her eyes.

"Akinyi: you know, don't you, that I will always love you, just not like that…as long as you promise to never, ever, _**ever**_, wear that red dress again, anywhere where I might see it," 'neb laughed, and he drew a laugh from Akinyi. "I'm certain that my heart wouldn't be able to withstand the strain of that image, once again," neb added, and Akinyi smiled and winked at 'neb, causing him, this time, to blush. "Good friends, close friends: we will always be," he continued, "but the rest will have to continue to be a fantasy, part of our imagination," he smiled.

"'neb, you **know** I have a very vivid imagination," Akinyi grinned, and 'neb blushed and shuddered as he imagined the imagination of a very healthy and attractive 16-year-old girl with a black belt in karate.

"How's the ankle, by the way?" 'neb asked, and Akinyi smiled and suddenly kissed him on the cheek.

"What was that for?" 'neb asked, not at all complaining, but confused.

"You haven't asked me once all night, not even about my upcoming session Monday: that showed how much you care about me, that you trust me to do the right thing," Akinyi smiled as she looked into her new favorite pear of brown eyes and giggled. "'I think I'll keep you around,' 'neb," she added as the bridge was coming to an end.

"Goes double for me, adopted goddaughter," 'neb smiled, tears falling from his eyes.

'She likes me for me, not what I look like or anything else: she truly likes me, and she really cares about me, too," was the thought that triggered his tears; 'that's what true love is,' he thought as the words of the song played through his mind while they danced their own dance and the rest of the audience stood around Kim, Ron, Anne, and James as the foursome finished the song:

(James and Ron)

"Unforgettable, in every way,"

(Anne and Kim)

"And forever more, that's how you'll stay;"

(James and Ron)

"That's why, my love, it's incredible"

(Anne and Kim)

"That someone so unforgettable…"

'He's unforgettable,' was Akinyi's thought.

'She is, indeed, unforgettable,' was 'neb's thought.

'He's unforgettable,' was kt's thought as she smiled at Star.

'She's unforgettable,' was Star's thought as he smiled at kt, and then he looked at the almost-doppelganger in his arms named Kathrine and had the same thought.

'Star's unforgettable,' Kathrine Load thought as she squeezed his hand.

'Felix equals unforgettable,' was KarenStern05's thought.

'She's unforgettable,' was Felix's thought as he tried mightily to resist pulling her into his lap and kissing her the way he kissed Monique.

'He's unforgettable,' was Crystal's thought as she wrapped her arm around Double-S's waist and held him tighter.

'I can't ever pay 'neb what I owe him for this: she's brilliant, beautiful, witty, engaging…she's truly unforgettable,' was Sir Sebastian's thought as he felt her lean her head on his shoulders and smelled her hair. "Strawberries and mint? Only in Middleton," he laughed inside as he enjoyed the feeling.

'It's wonderful, mahvelous, that he should care for me,' Liz sang in her head as whitem held her during the end as they watched the foursome finish their song. 'I wonder if I could talk him into staying here for a bit longer,' was her thought.

'Wow,' was the first thing that whitem remembered thinking when he first saw Liz in the flesh, and he had expanded his mental vocabulary where she was concerned considerably. 'I wonder if I can get passes to come over here, like mass transit passes' he thought, laughed at the idea, and decided to ask Wade about the possibility.

(James and Ron, Anne and Kim)

"Thinks that I am unforgettable. too"

The strings finished the wonderful ending, and everyone who wasn't already crying had started as the foursome kissed.

'She's unforgettable,' was 'neb's thought as he pulled Akinyi tight and hugged her, tears for what could never be but the love that two friends had for each other finally overwhelming both of them.

"By Jove, I think they've got it," ja sang to himself in his best 'Henry Higgins' voice, and both kt and Kathrine whistled 'The Rain, in Spain….'

-----

"Unforgettable, in every way," was the song going through Akinyi's mind as she got dressed, once again, for the Fannies ceremony.

"Unforgettable, in every way," was the song going through Kim's mind as she got dressed, once again, for the Fannies ceremony.

"And, forevermore, that's how you'll stay," Anne sang to her husband as he clipped on his cufflinks as she stood in her dressing room, deciding if she should wear that dress again or something entirely different.

"That's why, my love, it's incredible," Sir Sebastian sang as he adjusted his glasses and smiled.

"That's why, my love, it's incredible," Crystal sang as she slipped on her dress, and a thought crossed her mind: 'Girls do make passes at guys who wear glasses,' she smiled. 'He is _**so**_ handsome,' she thought, and that thought made it into Crystal's system, causing another response. 'He would certainly like them,' she grinned as she adjusted the top of her dress. "He certainly did, last week," she said out loud, and Tara looked over at her and laughed.

"GF, you've got it baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad," Tara said, and Crystal laughed back at her.

"Look who's talking, Miss 'I want to get 'Ran over,' again and again, all night long,'" Crystal joked, and Tara blushed; the thought _**had**_ crossed her mind on more than one occasion this week, but Ran was too much of a gentleman to at on her advances.

'Am I even good enough for Ran Hakubi?' Tara asked herself, and she got no reply as she continued to dress and wonder….

"Unforgettable, in every way," was the song going through Kim's mind as she got dressed, once again, for the Fannies ceremony.

"And, forevermore, that's how you'll stay," Ron sang to the mirror and the picture of his fiancée on the dresser. "You and I have both been busy all week, Rufus: we've barely seen each other," Ron grinned as Rufus adjusted his bow tie.

"Lady," Rufus sang in a squeak, and even he pink'ed a bit more as Ron laughed.

It was time, they all thought, as they all walked toward their limousines for the return trip to the 3rd Annual Fannie Awards Presentation.

'Ms. Star will be happy with the chocolate pie from Sato,' Star laughed inside.

"It's time," CajunBear said to himself as he knocked on the door, and Bego, in a new dress, appeared with a smile on her face.

"Well?" She smiled and twirled. "What.do.you.think?"

"I think it's lovely, Bego," CajunBear73 smiled, taking her hand, "as are you," he added, and she smiled even bigger and took a breath, and then she spoke.

"Thank you, CajunBear73: that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me," she stepped out of the room and closed the door. CajunBear73 offered his arm.

"Shall we go, dear lady?" he asked, and Bego took it and nodded as they headed for they elevator.

"It's time," Camille told Debutante, and she morphed into a younger woman, a writer, and left for the Fannies.

"It's showtime," Mags said to herself as she slipped on her Music Director's persona and looked in the dressing room mirror, then decided 'what the hay?' and went outside to grab three of the trays of fruit and cheese and pull them into her dressing room, propping the door open and motioning for the grips to come in and sit for a bit before they had to get to work tonight.

"'Tonight, tonight, we will see stars, tonight,'" Tricia and Summer sang to themselves as they stood on the red carpet and waited for the first limousines to arrive.

"I'm going to the Fannies with all of my adopted goddaughters, good friends, and fun:

"Who could ask for anything more?" 'neb sang in the limo, and he was pelted with Pixie Stick wrappers by everyone:

They were grape, of course.

**-----**

They all sat, waiting, for more than a few minutes before grips came from backstage with folded-up pieces of paper in hand. They delivered the paper to each of the tables and to the ends of each of the rows.

'neb read the message and almost lost color. He stood, motioning to ja, King in Yellow, Dr. Adams, Star, Lady Rhetorica, Wade, and Joss. He led them off to the side and told them the contents of the message.

"Zaratan is MIA," he said three words, and the group gasped, and Joss and Wade both had to fight back their tears. "No one knows where he is, and no one's been able to reach him at his house.

"I wanted to tell you before I told our table, even though most of them have probably already guessed the sitch by now. I think it would be best for some of us to stay here for awhile until we get some solid news, one way," 'neb's voice had a catch in it, "or the other. I'll talk to Mags and Captain IT: we'll reprise last week's dance and singing session to help divert everyone's mind from the events.

"What can we do, 'neb?" ja asked, more than a bit of concern on his face and in his voice. "I can call in a few markers if I need to," and Akinyi wondered just what kind of 'markers' ja could 'call in.'

Neb shook his head. "Not yet, ja," 'neb smiled. "Right now, we need to take care of ourselves, our guests, and pray." 'Neb looked toward the staged. "Kim and Bonnie are going to make the announcement in a few moments."

They barely managed to make it back to their seats and tell the guests what was happening before two obviously distraught ladies emerged from the wings. Bonnie looked like she had been crying for days, and Kim didn't look much better.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Kim began, "may I have your attention, please and thank you," and she wiped tears away from her face once again. "I regret to inform you that Zaratan is MIA, and no one has heard from him since prior to his planned business meeting," Bonnie's sobs could be heard as she ran back offstage. "The 3rd Annual Fannies Awards Presentation has been postponed, and someone will contact you when the new event is re-scheduled." Kim's face had been strong up until that point, but her façade cracked, and she began to shed tears that were unstoppable. "Please, whatever your beliefs are or are not, please share some good thought for the man that has single-handedly brought us this far in the celebration of the wonderful writers that care so much.

"Please, and thank you," she added, and then she broke completely and ran offstage, sobbing uncontrollably. Those not sitting square on the stage but off to the side could see Ron grab Kim as she fell into his arms, and the bright blue glow surrounded the two of them. Bonnie could be heard sobbing uncontrollably, and Cody MacArthur Fett left his seat in the audience and went backstage. Bonnie saw him and threw herself into his arms, still sobbing, and Cody comforted her as best he could, rubbing her back and trying, himself, to be strong.

The sobs of Kim and Bonnie could be heard coming from offstage, and there was only similar sobs coming from the audience, both male and female voices could be heard crying. Akinyi had managed to hold it together, but she looked at 'neb, and that did it. He was stoic, but his tears were falling like a summer rain, and that started hers and kt's tears.

As the sobs subsided, the sound of a solo oboe pierced the silence of the center with a familiar melody. The oboist played calmly, serenely, yet with a passion unheard in the music that had come forth in the pre-show music. The verse finished, and the oboist began to play it again, now joined by other clarinets, bassoons, flutes, and the sopranos in the chorus as they sang the song that the oboist had presented to them:

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch, like me;

I, once, was lost, but now, I'm found

Was blind, but now, I see.

The chorus sang the verse once again, the woodwinds joined by the strings and brass and Captain IT's band, and then they stopped.

Silence, and then the brass played the last verse of a song that was recognized by several in the audience, and from the ceiling of the rear of the stage a flag unfurled from the top: the Canadian Flag, in honor of Zaratan, and the chorus, along with the orchestra, began to sing as the audience stood and, surprising to many, almost all joined in the singing of the National Anthem of Canada:

_O Canada! Our home and native land!  
True patriot love in all thy sons command.  
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,  
The True North, strong and free!  
From far and wide, O Canada,  
We stand on guard for thee.  
God keep our land glorious and free!  
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.  
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee._

The grand ending was accented by the brass fanfare, and the audience applauded wildly. 'neb looked over at Akinyi and was happy to see her singing her heart out, tears streaming down her face as she sang. He reached over and took both her hand and kt's, and they did the same to the person on the other side, until, by the end of the anthem, the entire 'Table of Power' was holding hands and singing. Rebecca Jane and Dr. Adams saluted, and dropped their salute together.

"'neb, what's gonna happen?" Akinyi turned and looked after the anthem ended and before 'neb sat down.

"Well, I suggested to several folks that we unwind before we head back home and see what we can do about finding out what has happened to Zaratan," 'neb extended his hand. "In the meantime," he smiled through his tears, Akinyi smiled and took his hand, and they headed out to the open spot on the floor.

"Mags, if you please," 'neb called.

"Only for you, Chocolate Sweet Cheeks," she replied, and 'neb winced as the orchestra started up.

"'_Chocolate__** Sweet Cheeks**_?'" Akinyi asked, not even trying to hold back her laughter as they began to dance.

"Longand funny story, and it really _**did**_ happen on a Tuesday," 'neb replied and dodged the roundhouse faux-slap, but just barely, as the two of them laughed and danced.

James and Anne Possible followed 'neb and Akinyi to the dance floor, and they danced for a few minutes before Anne smiled at her husband, and they separated and each tapped the shoulder of the other dancer.

'neb smiled as he took Dr. Anne Possible into his arms, and Akinyi was shocked as Dr. James Timothy Possible took her hands and began to dance with her.

"I understand that you're also a writer, as well as a lovely young lady who swings a mean right leg, as well," James began as he and Akinyi danced, and she nodded, almost in shock. "Not unlike my daughter, I believe," he continued, and Akinyi just danced, still in shock.

'I'm dancing with 'him!' ran through her mind and kept her mouth silent, earning a smile from James.

"What's wrong, Akinyi? I didn't say anything about 'black holes,'" James laughed, and Akinyi finally broke down and laughed.

"I just never imagined that I would ever see you, let alone be dancing with you. You're even more handsome than I imagined you could be," Akinyi smiled, and James blushed.

"Oh, I'm not that handsome," James replied, but Akinyi poo-poo'ed him.

"Puh-lese, sir: you are, indeed, mistaken. You are H-O-T HOT, and your wife is a very lucky woman to have you. I almost filled a drool bucket when you showed up in those boxers with the hearts," Akinyi confessed, feeling a bit of heat in her face while James grinned and blushed.

"Besides,**you** are the perfect father, on top of everything else. You remind me of my dad and 'neb in lots of ways. I see how much you love Kim, Jim and Tim, and I know how much you love Anne, unconditionally: what girl wouldn't what all that, and a hunk, at the same time?" Akinyi finished her lecture, and James smiled.

"You're starting to channel 'neb, I see," James smiled.

Akinyi nodded with a thought:

'neb, you set me up, and I'm _**sooooo**_ gonna get you for that…later,' she added as James pulled her closer and they continued their slow dance.

-----

"Hello, 'nebster," Anne smiled that smile she brings, and 'neb could barely hold himself vertical.

"Mrs. Possible…Anne, you honor me with your beauty," 'neb began, but Anne shushed him with s chaste kiss and a small chuckle as she felt 'neb's temperature rise.

"I never had a chance to thank you for the wonderful story that you wrote about James and I and that horrible sitch we had, a while back," Anne smiled, and 'neb still felt that he was living a dream come true as he danced with her in his arms.

'I'm dancing with Dr. Anne Possible!' 'neb thought, and he grinned. 'Darn, she feels and smell even better than I imagined,' he continued as he gave her the light throw-out, spun her, then pulled her back into his arms with a smile and a wink, and Anne smiled.

"'neb, are you trying to seduce me?'" she asked with a twinkle in her eye, and 'neb laughed.

"Like I'd ever have a chance," 'neb replied as he pulled her closer into the slow dance. "I could never match James, and I wouldn't want to.

"You, on the other hand, are truly magnificent," Anne grinned and blushed as they danced, "and I laughed for days when you told me what you had done to Will."

"Hey: no soccer style for me," Anne dead-panned and then laughed heartily.

'Even her laugh is beautiful,' he thought as he held her in his arms.

"As much as I am enjoying this," 'neb began, and Anne laughed.

"You certainly seem to be enjoying yourself," Anne interjected, and 'neb could ignore her comment but not her.

"I have a favor to ask, Anne," and Anne leaned forward to listen to 'neb's request, and she smiled and nodded.

"It would be 'my honor,' 'neb," she replied with a twinkle in her eye, and then Anne Possible woke 'neb up with a non-chaste kiss that curled his hair ever tighter. "Besides, I want to meet him again tonight, anyway, and I wanted to meet his guest, as well," she added as she watched 'neb grin and almost fall down, reacting to her. He managed to keep upright, just barely, as he led her off the dance floor and to chairs so that they could both sit and enjoy each other's company for a few minutes. Then, Anne kissed 'neb's cheek and stood, smoothed her dress, and walked away,

She caught the tune that 'neb was whistling, "_Backfield in Motion_," and she laughed as she added to 'neb's discomfort as she closed on her target at the 'Table of Power.'

-----

ja was talking to Star when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He took a deep breath and smiled as his nose registered the identity of the individual.

'Excuse me, sir: may I have the next dance?" ja turned his head slowly and lifted his fedora's brim to look into the eyes of Dr. Anne Possible, and he stood gracefully, nodded imperceptibly, and took her hand, leading her to the dance floor.

They held hands and began to dance, and Anne smiled as they swayed to the music.

"You dance wonderfully, sir," Anne commented, and ja grinned like he hadn't since he was much younger.

"What brought you over to an old man like me, Dr. Possible?" ja asked, and Anne smiled. ja already knew the answer to the question even before he had asked it, and he removed the fedora and placed it on her head.

Dreamily, her eyes told him 'thank you,' and he knew where her heart was. Nothing more needed to be said on that subject.

"You are most definitely not old, ja, at least not according to my daughter or Sarah," Anne laughed, and ja fell in love with her laugh. "Those two ladies are most definitely in lust with you; at least Kim doesn't have it as bad with you as she has with Star," Anne added with another laugh.

'Music, embodied,' ja thought as they continued to dance, and Anne pulled herself closer to ja.

"You are as beautiful in person," ja began, and Anne placed her finger to his lips and pressed it gently.

"Shush," she whispered as she leaned her head into that spot in his neck, and they moved very little, doing little except rocking back and forth. "You feel good," she whispered, "and, you smell good, too," she added, and he smiled.

"'Caddo After-Shave,' aisle 43, in Smarty-Mart," ja replied in a dead-pan manner, generating a chortle from Anne, her head shaking gently against his neck. He felt her touch, her breath, and it surprised him in a good way, indeed.

"Damn, woman," ja smiled, "do you do this to James **all** the time?" he asked, and Anne smiled against ja's neck.

"Is there something wrong with what I'm doing?" Anne asked innocently.

"Not unless you want to have more kids, Anne," ja replied, and Anne's laugh made ja's head bounce up and down.

"You captured me perfectly in 'Rewind, Play, and Fast Forward' and 'A Winters Valentine;' I felt so much love when I read your writing that I cried," Anne looked up into ja's eyes and smiled, the brim of the hat brushing his face, and his heart melted as those brilliant blues drilled their way into his soul. "Thank you, ja: I loved it, almost as much as I love you," Anne added and blushed a bit. "If it wasn't for James, ja, you'd be in serious trouble," she smiled, and ja blushed deeply.

"And, dear lady, if it wasn't for Mrs. ja, so would you," ja responded, and it was Anne's turn to blush. "You are an amazing young woman, Anne, and I'd have to fight James, 'neb, C. P., and several men here tonight if you were available, let alone my wife, but I thank you for your compliments," ja smiled as he took her head in his hands and kissed her forehead, then drew a chuckle from her when he kissed her nose.

"So, tell me: was it 'neb, Mrs. ja, or that darling daughter of mine that set this up?"

"All three of them, I'm afraid; you have a wonderful wife and daughter, and 'neb is a friend worth his old weight in diamonds," Anne laughed, "seeing as how he's lost weight over the past two years.

"I'm blessed to have run into you to want to write about me," Anne added, but ja held up his hand.

"No, Anne, with you, 'neb, kt and Mrs. ja, I'm the one who's blessed," ja corrected her, and the two people danced and enjoyed watching two of the "Setup Triplets" across the room, dancing with each other.

"Think I got his attention, 'neb?" kt asked, and 'neb nodded.

"I'll let you get back to Star, just give me one dance, alright?" 'neb laughed, and kt blushed as they continued to dance until a finger tapped kt's shoulder.

She turned, and smiled.

"May I cut in?"

"For you, Sarah, anytime," kt grinned, "but, 'neb, save the last dance for me, all right?" kt said, and 'neb blushed and nodded. kt took PRT's hands and danced away as Sarah bowed to 'neb, he bowed to her, and they took each other's hands and began to dance.

"You've been avoiding me, haven't you, 'nebster?" Sarah grinned.

"Why, whatever gave you that idea, Miss Best?" 'neb fluttered his eyelashes, and Sarah laughed.

"Well, maybe because I've never had more than 10 seconds alone with you since last weekend," she smiled, and 'neb fell in love with her all over again.

"Maybe it's because you drive me to distraction, Miss Best, and it's not fair to you," 'neb smiled, but Sarah could see the sadness in his eyes.

"That's not it, is it, 'neb?" Sarah drilled down another level, and 'neb shook his head.

"It's because of her, isn't it?" and 'neb pushed Sarah back and stared into her eyes.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded.

"You know who I'm talking about, 'neb: her name, in one of your other stories, is Samantha," she prodded, and 'neb buried his face into Sarah's shoulder and quietly sobbed.

"How…how did you find out about her?" he asked when he lifted his head, tears falling onto her shoulder and making her radiant blue dress shine even more.

"Gee, 'neb, computers?" She smiled, and it helped his demeanor a bit. "You signed for the body, remember, because she didn't have any next-of-kin," she lifted his head, and her heart wept for those browns that were so wet and looked so sad. "You really loved her, didn't you?" she asked as the resumed their dance.

"I was going to marry her, Sarah, after meeting her and only spending three days with her; what do you think?" he replied with a bit of sharpness in his voice, but Sarah could hear the love for her behind the pain and anger in his voice: an anger not directed at Sarah, but directed at someone, or something, else. "Seven days of pure Heaven and pure Hell, Sarah: I know what Wade has been through, because I've lived it, only on a compressed scale."

Sarah couldn't help herself: she pulled 'neb tight and cried into his shoulder as they kept dancing. "'neb, how do you stand the pain?"

"I don't, Sarah. I used to try, but I realized that it wasn't 'possible,' no matter what 'she' says," 'neb laughed, and Sarah lifted her head to see the laughing and tears on cpneb's face. "You all have helped me make it through, by inspiring me to write, once again. I had stopped writing, years ago: everything I wrote reminded me of her, so I burned all of the bad stories and tossed the three boxes or rejection slips, just three months before I found my first FanFiction story. I started writing after I read about my favorite character from childhood," he began, and Sarah held up her hand and smiled as she backed an arm's length away in a dance move worth of the pros.

"Let me guess: Velma Dinkley, correct?" and 'neb's smile was mixed with shock and surprise.

'She know me pretty well,' 'neb thought and giggled inside.

"I love Velma: I've been watching her ever since I was young enough to really understand 'Scooby-Doo.' You don't think…" Sarah looked pensive for a moment, and 'neb took that moment to pull her back to him, and their faces almost touched.

"'You never know, ya' know?'" 'neb channeled Shego, and Sarah laughed and kissed his nose.

"You're weird…but, I like weird," she chuckled as they continued to dance.

"That's where I read about Sam, in your Scooby-Doo story; that's one of the reason I wanted you to tell my story, but it was also why I was afraid."

"**You**? You were afraid of _**me**_?" 'neb laughed, and he stopped when he realized that Sarah's face was wet.

"I didn't know if you would want to write about someone as insignificant as me, after writing about Velma," she barely got the words out before 'neb grabbed her and hugged her.

He held her for a long time, and then he finally spoke.

"Sarah," he began, and she felt her head being lifted by his hands, "you are most certainly **not** insignificant, not by any stretch of the imagination. So **what** if few people knew who you were? You had lots of fans 'out there,'" and he stopped when she pointed her finger at him and wagged it before he finished his statement. "Well, you did; you just didn't know their names, just like they didn't know yours. PRT and I had several discussions about your identity, both of us wondering which person you were since you didn't tell me who you were when you first contacted me," 'neb grinned. "You don't know how happy I was when I opened that door and saw you were standing there," 'neb grinned, and Sarah blushed through her wet face. "PRT was jellin', big time: why do you think he begged to be your date to the Fannies this year?"

"I never knew," Sarah whispered, and 'neb took her face in his hands.

"You're intelligent, a great dancer, and you look wonderful in this dress, although I suspect I _**know**_ what Chip is thinking about the dress," 'neb snarked, and Sarah's red complemented her dress in its brightness.

-----

"KP, are you all right?" Kim didn't feel very festive, or feel like talking. Ron was holding her hand, but she barely noticed it. She felt like all of the life had been sucked out of her, like that Sumo Ninja, or Mr. Sitdown, had landed square on her stomach.

She looked up, and her mood brightened immensely.

"Star," she smiled, and Star couldn't help himself: he was a Southern Gentleman, and he was a sucker for a woman in tears, especially a young woman, especially a young red-haired woman.

"Don't worry, Kim: Z's a smart man, and I know he'll be all right. More likely than not, something came up that has his full attention; I'd put my money on family," Star suggested as he handed Kim his handkerchief, and Kim dabbed her tears away.

"I must look a mess," Kim grinned through her tears, and Star chuckled.

"Kim Possible, look a mess? That's not 'Possible,'" Star joked, and Kim couldn't help but smile a bit.

"Mr. Stoppable, would you mind if I danced with your fiancée?" Star asked, and Ron grinned.

"Ron, please, Star, and after the way you described Kim's 'modeling' for me," Kim blushed, "it would be my honor." Ron stood and bowed to Star, and Star returned the sign of respect. Star then offered his hand to Kim.

"Kim, if **you** would do me the honor." Star asked in a quiet voice.

Kim shyly nodded and took his hand, her hand trembling a bit. Even now, she still was amazed at what Star did to her heart: she had told Monique that 'he left it all a-flutter,' and Monique laughed until Kim showed her a picture of Star.

"Kim, can I have a 'Southern Sampler' of Star, CajunBear73, PRT, and cpneb, with a little 'whitem' western seasoning on the side?" Monique asked with a wicked smile on her face, and she and Kim shared a major belly laugh that almost left the two young women hyperventilating.

Kim and Star stepped to the dance floor, and Mags started "Could It Be?"

Star laughed, and Kim looked perplexed.

"Kim, there's no chance of that ever happening, even in my dreams: besides, I'm far too much in love with Mrs. Star to even-"

"-consider the 'Possibility?'" Kim finished the statement, and she closed the distance and kissed his cheek.

"You really ought to consider getting rid of the face fuzz, guy: you're far too handsome to hide that face," Kim whispered as they continued to dance.

"Something I've considered, but not seriously. Besides, I look like an older version of Jim or Tim without it. I did once shortly after I married, and the wife couldn't ask me to grow it back fast enough." Star replied, wondering why nothing like this had ever happened to him when he was in high school.

"Well, I think it's a nice face," Kim added, and she snuggled up next to him, giggling inside as she felt his body temperature rise.

'Oh, yeah, Kim, you've still got it,' she grinned inside as she reached up and touched the reddening face of Star, taking a hand in hers and kissing the fingertips, one at a time. "I'll bet you were a real hottie in high school," Kim purred, and Star gulped.

"I was more like Ron in high school. I kept my head in some book or another; and all the ladies in school would never talk to me that much. The only time that I got popular was during book reports for English," he grinned, then got serious. "I had a girl in school that I really liked, but it seemed like she didn't know that I was there very much." Star told him a low voice. He really could not understand why he was telling her these things, things he had only told his wife.

"There never was a 'Kim' in my life, and I meet my lovely wife, well into my 30's. Who knows what might have happened with me if there was." Star got quiet for a moment, and Kim could see by looking into his eyes, that he was remembering something from that time in his past. Before she could say anything, he added: "Promise me something, Kim. I can see you love him in your eyes when you look at Ron, and I can feel it in my heart and I know he loves you. Promise me that, just this once, the "weird guy" gets the beautiful girl, and they have a long and loving life together?"

Kim could feel her heart rip for the man in her arms. She now understood how he could write the things that he did about how much Ron loved her. Somewhere in that past of his, he **was** Ron. And, she wondered what would have happened if she had know him, back then.

"Well Star, I could have two Ron's in my life, right now. Would you like to have the job? Kim whispered in his ear.

'Black hole deep, black hole deep, black hole deep,' Star thought, and he wondered if he could outrun James Possible. 'Not with these knees: maybe I can trip him up enough to get a good head start…."

-----

Zaratan's mind was running down multiple paths simultaneously when he found a working PC his cousin's home and logged into the Forum.

'I wonder how big the lynch mob is,' he grinned sadly; he never anticipated that, after leaving the amazingly successful business meeting with the bank, he'd spend the next three-plus days at a hospital with his grandmother.

There was a new thread that he didn't recognize: 'Until we know….' He opened it, and the tears from the past days all ran in joy as he read, and read, and read…over 130 posts on one thread, alone; he then read two more threads, all about him.

"I guess I _**really**_ should tell them something," Zaratan mused for a moment, then laughed out loud as he opened a reply and began to write and tried to keep from soaking the keyboard with happy tears….

-----

"All right folks, here's the update.

"I have to say right off, I am REALLY sorry to freak everyone out…."

-----

**Author's afterward:**

It's not the show you expected, but the one you were expecting is almost here.

Yes, indeed: the Fannies are here, so who won? We'll find out, in good time …

Keep good thoughts for Zaratan's grandmother, for Zaratan, and for the crazy people who care about a man they've never met….such is friendship in the world of KP.

-----

Next, on_** Road Trip**_

**P1, C10: …dance closure, and preparations, again….**

-----

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

-----

2008.03.05

-----


	10. P1C10: …dance closure, and preparations

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

* * *

**A/N Forward: **

A bit of a surprise for Jocelyn, and an adventure for all

* * *

**P1, C10: …dance closure, and preparations, again….**

* * *

­­­­ja was talking to Star when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He took a deep breath and smiled as his nose registered the identity of the individual.

"Excuse me, sir: may I have the next dance?" the woman's voice shyly asked, and ja turned his head slowly and lifted his fedora's brim to look into the eyes of Dr. Anne Possible. He stood gracefully, nodded almost imperceptibly, and took her hand, leading her to the dance floor.

They held hands and began to dance, and Anne smiled as they swayed to the music.

"Just don't step on my feet with those boots, guy," Anne joked, and ja twirled her twice in response. 'This is sooo him,' Anne smiled inside as she looked him over once again. He was dressed in all brown, from the hiking boots up past the Levi's and shirt to the leather jacket and fedora.

She liked the fedora, the look, but she especially liked what was inside the outer package.

"Channeling 'South Dakota Smith,' I suppose?" she asked, and ja looked puzzled for a moment, then laughed as he tied it back to his 'verse's 'Indiana Jones and the comment yelled from the Red Carpet.'

"No, just tired of suits and ties, and I get to wear this on occasions in the field, so…" ja grinned and dipped the shocked Anne.

She liked the dip, 'and it really shows: really, really shows,' ja thought with a grin.

"What brought you over to an old man like me, Dr. Possible?" ja asked, and Anne smiled. ja already knew the answer to the question even before he had asked it, and he removed the fedora and placed it on her head. Dreamily, her eyes told him 'thank you' as she adjusted the hat.

He knew where her heart was, though: with another rocket scientist that had, literally, helped save her world. Nothing more needed to be said on that subject.

"You are most definitely not old, ja, at least not according to my daughter **or** Sarah," Anne laughed, and ja fell in love with her laugh. "Those two ladies are, however, most **definitely** in lust with you; at least Kim doesn't have it as bad with you as she has with Star," Anne added with another laugh.

'Music, embodied,' ja thought as they continued to dance, and Anne pulled herself closer to ja. "You are as beautiful in person," ja began, and Anne placed her finger to his lips and pressed it gently.

"Shush," she whispered as she leaned her head into that spot in his neck, and they moved very little, doing little except rocking back and forth. "You feel good," she whispered, "and, you smell good, too," she added, and he smiled.

"'Caddo After-Shave,' aisle 43, in Smarty-Mart," ja replied in a dead-pan manner, generating a chortle from Anne, her head shaking gently against his neck. He felt her touch, her breath, and it surprised him in a good way, indeed.

"Damn, woman," ja smiled, "do you do this to James **all** the time?" he asked, and Anne smiled against ja's neck.

"Is there something wrong with what I'm doing?" Anne asked innocently, lifting her head to whisper in his ear and then, almost as an afterthought, gently kissing it.

'_**That**_ doesn't help,' ja thought as Anne continued to smile at him. 'She's got more evil in her than Triple-S on a very, very bad day,' he chucked inside. 'Poor James; but, what a way to go!'

"Not unless you want to have more kids, Anne," ja replied, and Anne's laugh made ja's head bounce up and down.

"You captured me perfectly in 'Rewind, Play, and Fast Forward' and 'A Winter's Valentine;' I felt so much love when I read your writing that I cried," Anne looked up into ja's eyes and smiled, the brim of the hat brushing his face, and his heart melted as those brilliant blues drilled their way into his soul. "Thank you, ja: I loved it, almost as much as I love you," Anne added and blushed a bit. "If it wasn't for James, ja, you'd be in serious trouble," she smiled, and ja blushed deeply.

"And, dear lady, if it wasn't for Mrs. ja, so would you," ja responded, and it was Anne's turn to blush. "You are an amazing young woman, Anne, and I'd have to fight James, 'neb, C. P., and several men here tonight if you were available, let alone my wife, but I thank you for your compliments," ja smiled as he took her head in his hands, gently tipped the brim of the fedora up, and kissed her forehead; then, he drew a chuckle from her when he kissed her nose.

"So, tell me: was it 'neb, Mrs. ja, or that darling daughter of mine that set this up?"

"All three of them, I'm afraid; you have a wonderful wife and daughter, and 'neb is a friend worth his old weight in diamonds," Anne laughed, "seeing as how he's lost so much over the past two years."

"I'm blessed to have run into you to want to write about me," Anne added, but ja held up his hand.

"No, Anne, with you, 'neb, kt and Mrs. ja, I'm the one who's blessed," ja corrected her, and the two people danced and enjoyed watching two of the "Setup Triplets" across the room, dancing with each other.

"Think I got his attention, 'neb?" kt asked, and 'neb nodded.

"I'll let you get back to Star, just give me one dance, alright?" 'neb laughed, and kt blushed as they continued to dance until a finger gently tapped kt's shoulder.

She turned, and smiled.

"May I cut in?"

"For you, Sarah, anytime," kt grinned, and she hugged Sarah, "but, 'neb, save the last dance for me, all right?" kt said, and 'neb blushed and nodded. kt took PRT's hands and danced away as Sarah bowed to 'neb, he bowed to her, and they took each other's hands and began to dance.

"You've been avoiding me, haven't you, 'nebster?" Sarah grinned.

"Why, whatever gave you that idea, Miss Best?" 'neb fluttered his eyelashes, and Sarah laughed.

"Well, maybe because I've never had more than 10 seconds alone with you since last weekend," she smiled, and 'neb fell in love with her all over again.

"Maybe it's because you drive me to distraction, Miss Best, and it's not fair to you," 'neb smiled, but Sarah could see the sadness in his eyes.

"That's not it, is it, 'neb?" Sarah drilled down another level, and 'neb shook his head.

"It's because of her, isn't it?" Sarah asked him in a low voice.

'neb pushed her back and stared into her eyes. "What are you talking about?" he demanded in a hushed growl..

"You know who I'm talking about, 'neb: her name, in one of your other stories, is Samantha," she prodded, and 'neb buried his face into Sarah's shoulder and quietly sobbed.

"How…how did you find out about her?" he asked when he lifted his head, tears falling onto her shoulder and making her radiant blue dress shine even more.

"Gee, 'neb, computers?" She smiled, and it helped his demeanor a bit. "You signed for the body, remember, because she didn't have any next-of-kin," she lifted his head, and her heart wept for those browns that were so wet and looked so sad. "You really loved her, didn't you?" she asked as the resumed their dance.

"I was going to marry her, Sarah, after meeting her and only spending three days with her; what do you think?" he replied with a bit of sharpness in his voice, but Sarah could hear the love for her behind the pain and anger in his voice: an anger not directed at Sarah, but directed at someone, or something, else. "Seven days of pure Heaven and pure Hell, Sarah: I know what Wade has been through, because I've lived it, only on a compressed scale."

Sarah couldn't help herself: she pulled 'neb tight and cried into his shoulder as they kept dancing. "'neb, how do you stand the pain?"

"I don't, Sarah. I used to try, but I realized that it wasn't 'possible,' no matter what 'she' says," 'neb laughed, and Sarah lifted her head to see the laughter and tears on cpneb's face. "You all have helped me make it through it all by inspiring me to write, once again. I had stopped writing, years ago: everything I wrote reminded me of her, so I burned all of the bad stories and tossed the three boxes of rejection slips, just three months before I found my first FanFiction story. I started writing after I read about my favorite character from childhood," he began, and Sarah held up her hand and smiled as she backed an arm's length away in a dance move worth of the pros.

"Let me guess: Velma Dinkley, from _Scooby-Doo, Where Are You_, correct?" She smiled, and 'neb stopped dancing in his tracks.

"How'd you guess?" he asked her, and she continued to smile.

"I've been watching her since I was old enough to watch TV: I loved the idea of someone who wasn't perfect getting the answers to the crimes," she laughed as he continued to stare at her.

Sarah laughed and kissed cpneb's nose as they started to dance again. "You're weird…but, I like weird," she chuckled.

"That's where I read about Sam, in your Scooby-Doo story; that's one of the reason I wanted you to tell my story, but it was also why I was afraid. I didn't know if you would want to write about someone as insignificant as me, after writing about Velma," she barely got the words out before 'neb grabbed her and hugged her.

He held her for a long time, and then he finally spoke.

"Sarah," he began, and she felt her head being lifted by his hands, "you are most certainly **not** insignificant, not by any stretch of the imagination. So **what** if few people knew who you were? You had lots of fans 'out there,'" and he stopped when she pointed her finger at him and wagged it before he finished his statement. "Well, you did; you just didn't know their names, just like they didn't know yours. PRT and I had several discussions about your identity, both of us wondering which person you were since you didn't tell me who you were when you first contacted me," 'neb grinned. "You don't know how happy I was when I opened that door and saw you were standing there," 'neb grinned, and Sarah blushed through her wet face. "PRT was jellin', big time: why do you think he begged to be your date to the Fannies this year?"

"I never knew," Sarah whispered, and 'neb took her face in his hands.

"You're intelligent, a great dancer, and you look wonderful in this dress, although I suspect I _**know**_ what Chip is thinking about the dress," 'neb snarked, and Sarah's red complemented her blue dress in its brightness.

* * *

Kim's hand trembled as she placed her hand in Star's hand; even now, she still was amazed at what Star did to her heart: she had told Monique that 'he left it all a-flutter,' and Monique laughed until Kim showed her a picture of Star.

"Kim, can I have a 'Southern Sampler' of Star, CajunBear73, PRT, and cpneb, with a little 'whitem' western seasoning on the side?" Monique asked with a wicked smile on her face, and she and Kim shared a major belly laugh that almost left the two young women hyperventilating.

Kim and Star stepped to the dance floor, and Mags started "Could It Be?"

"There never was a 'Kim' in my life, and I met my lovely wife, well into my 30's. Who knows what might have happened with me if there was." Star got quiet for a moment, and Kim could see by looking into his eyes, that he was remembering something from that time in his past.

Before she could say anything, he added: "Promise me something, Kim. I can see you love him in your eyes when you look at Ron, I can feel it in my heart, and I **know** he loves you. Promise me that, just this once, the "weird guy" gets the beautiful girl, and they have a long and loving life together?"

Kim could feel her heart rip for the man in her arms. She now understood how he could write the things that he did about how much Ron loved her. Somewhere in that past of his, he **was** Ron. And, she wondered what would have happened if she had know him, back then.

"Well Star, I could have two Ron's in my life, right now. Would you like to have the job?" Kim whispered in his ear.

'Black hole deep, black hole deep, black hole deep,' Star thought, and he wondered if he could outrun James Possible. 'Not with these knees: maybe I can trip him up enough to get a good head start….'

* * *

Zaratan's mind was running down multiple paths simultaneously when he found a working PC his cousin's home and logged into the Forum.

'I wonder how big the lynch mob is,' he grinned sadly; he never anticipated that, after leaving the amazingly successful business meeting with the bank, he'd spend the next three-plus days at a hospital with his grandmother.

There was a new thread that he didn't recognize: 'Until we know….' He opened it, and the tears from the past days all ran in joy as he read, and read, and read…over 130 posts on one thread, alone; he then read two more threads, all about him.

"I guess I _**really**_ should tell them something," Zaratan mused for a moment, then laughed out loud as he opened a reply and began to write and tried to keep from soaking the keyboard with happy tears….

"All right folks, here's the update.

"I have to say right off, I am REALLY sorry to freak everyone out…."

* * *

_**Days later**_….

* * *

cpneb smiled as he fastened his cufflinks. He looked at himself in the mirror and laughed.

"You'd 'never imagined' that you could or would have made it this far," he said to himself as he nervously combed and brushed his hair one more time. He didn't want to think about the dream, anymore: it had occupied far too much of his time as it was, already. It wasn't 'Possible,' after all.

He walked out of the dressing area and stopped at the counter, sipping from the hot tea he had made only a few minutes earlier for no reason whatsoever except nervousness. "Well, it's not 'Earl Grey,' but it will have to do until I get back," he placed the glass down and picked up the paper wrapper that originally held the tea bag: _**Duke Green**_ was on the label, and that name still gave him a chuckle. He picked up the glass once again and took it to the couch, placing it on the side table as he sat and stared at the picture on the wall above the television set.

'How did Sarah even know to look for you?' 'neb thought as the tears came back, once again. He thought that he was rid of them, but he guessed that he was wrong.

"Well, we're here," he looked up into the ceiling and smiled. "I know you're here and laughing at me, but I don't mind that. I've gotten used to your laughter over the years, and it's eased my mind along the way.

"I still miss you, my dear friend and fiancée, though not as much as 25-plus years ago," he smiled through his wet face, and he reached for the ever-present tissue box on the side of the table. "I just know that you and DF had something to do with my 'adopted goddaughters' coming into my life, and I just wanted to thank you for that. They've helped me stay young; well," he laughed and sipped tea, "as young as one can be at 51, almost 52.

"Who would have thought that that first story I read online would have led to this? Oh, I know, you would have" 'neb laughed, "because, you always believed in me, even when I wasn't certain, especially that last night," he smiled and placed the empty glass back on the table.

"I'm glad I had a chance to say goodbye to both of you," he pulled out his handkerchief and wiped away his tears, then put it back in his inside jacket pocket.

"Well, it's time to go, once again. Wish me luck," he said to the 'empty' room as he grabbed his dress cane and hotel room key, left the room, and stepped into the living area of the suite, turning out the light and closing the door with the audible 'click' of the hotel lock confirming the room was secure.

The room was silent except for the air flow from the vents.

"Good luck; you don't need it, but you'll get it from me, 'nebster," a young woman's voice came softly from all throughout the room, and the tea glass moved.

"Jeez, how can you still _**drink**_ that nasty stuff?" an older female voice chided. The two female voices laughed sweetly, and they were gone as fast as they came.

* * *

'neb walked over to the kitchenette and found another glass of tea waiting for him. This one was iced and contained a sprig of mint.

"C. P.," he laughed as he drank; sweetened, of course.

"I still hate the dress uniform," C. P. groused as he exited his room in the suite, tea glass in hand, "but at least I**'m** not the one in a monkey suit," he grinned at 'neb and drank deeply.

"After all those years playing in symphonies and ballet orchestras, C. P., it's 'No Big': it's like a second skin to me," 'neb smiled, and C. P. laughed as the two gentlemen clicked glasses.

"I think you've got a good shot at a win, C. P.," 'neb said as they sat in the 'comfy chairs.'

"And, in whose dreams is that happening, 'neb?" C. P. laughed as Wade opened the door of the suite and entered, carrying a bottle of water.

Joss snuck in right behind Wade, and she had reprised her dress and tall boots. She also wore a million-dollar smile on her face as she watched Wade walk in, and C. P. laughed as he tracked where Joss' eyes were targeted.

"Wade, did you know you had someone behind you?" C. P. called with a laugh, and Wade turned around to see Joss strike a pose.

Wade's water bottle fell to the ground and bounced away.

"Son, you've got it bad, and that ain't good," C. P. laughed as Wade managed to lift his jaw from the ground.

"Looks like someone else has the same problem, C. P.," 'neb laughed as Joss turned bright red. "'Backfield in motion,' huh, Joss, and with no penalties, either?" 'neb snarked, and C. P. and Wade roared with laughter as Joss got even redder and shot 'neb a massive raspberry.

* * *

ja looked up from his reading when he heard his daughter come out of her bedroom, and his smile grew huge.

"Triple-D, just where did **that** come from?" he asked, and kt grinned as he stood and bowed to her, generating a giggle from her.

"A little 12th birthday present to myself for the Fannies; I decided to 'go long' this time," she replied. "You like?" she twirled, and her new purple dress flowed in response, but she scrunched her face. "Triple-D?" she asked.

"Dear darling daughter: I'm practicing my Mon-speak," ja replied with a grin, and kt laughed, cluthing her sides.

"Keep your day job, Dad," she replied.

"Me like the dress," ja laughed, "but you're going to give all your admirers a heart attack, not to mention Mikey an opening for the endless 'grape' jokes," he added.

"That's why I came well-prepared," Kathrine Elizabeth Load emerged from her bedroom, in an amazingly similar dress, only a dark, almost emerald, green. She held a small clutch-purse and patted it: "BE 4750: don't leave home without it," she added, and then she looked at kt.

kt grinned and replied: "That's a pretty wimpy looking thing, you know, Kathrine; at least, compared to this" and, from behind her back, kt pulled out the BE 4000. "A lot of dress material hides a lot of things," she now wickedly smiled.

Katherine wasn't going to let kt get the best of her and switched her dress to stealth mode. "Yeah, what do you think of the future version of Kim's old stealth suit?"

"Wow" was the only comment that came from the mouths of both ja and kt.

She and kt stared at each other for a few moments, smiled, and then they both giggled and hugged each other.

"You look wonderful," they both said, then "Jinx: you owe me a soda!" came from both their mouths at the same time, and they both laughed.

"Great minds think alike for dresses, don't they?" Kathrine Load stated.

"And, for weapons, too," kt replied, and the ladies both giggled again as Kathrine returned her dress to 'normal' mode.

'Pure music, their giggles are,' ja thought, and then he laughed: "Jinx: you both owe me a kiss on the cheek," he said.

"Works for me, pseudo-Daddy," Kathrine chuckled and kissed ja's cheek.

"HEY! No kissie my Daddy!" kt mock-snarled, and the young ladies both giggled once again.

"You both are beautiful beyond words," ja smiled, then wiped away a tear.

"Awwww," the young ladies mocked.

"I thought we agreed on a no-mocking zone for the room," ja replied.

"That was for the Fannies, last week: according to the Father-Daughter act of 2019, I'm required to mock," Kathrine crossed her arms over her chest, and ja sighed.

"Wait," he grinned, "it's not 2019 yet, so the law doesn't apply: space-time continuum, and all that."

"Darn it: I hate it when _**any**_ of my Dads is right," Kathrine groused.

"You think _**you're**_ got it bad? Try having him and 'neb as an adopted Godfather at the same time," kt laughed, and they all left the living area of the suite and entered the common area.

* * *

'neb, C. P., and Wade all stood when the group entered the room, and Joss came out of the kitchen rolling a cart with several empty glasses and several chilled bottles sticking out of ice buckets.

Kathrine laughed. "Joss, you got him again, didn't you?"

"Indeed," Joss replied, and kt and ja both laughed with 'neb and C. P. as Wade grinned. He walked over to his almost-fiancée and applied a 'Vertical CPR' to Joss that left her truly breathless.

"Just like you leave me, when I see you dressed like that," he added when he unlocked her lips from his, and Joss smiled serenely.

"Are you two at it, _**again**_?" Slyrr came out of the living area for him and Team Probable, and Joss grinned.

"Probably not as much as Grimm and Rhonda," she smirked, and Slyrr laughed as he took the proffered glass of sparkling grape juice and nodded his thanks.

"'neb, thanks again for arranging for the new digs, even though I know it was because you wanted to keep an eye on Rhonda," Slyrr grinned, and 'neb sputtered as the rest of the room laughed.

"It worked out for the best, Slyrr: this hotel wasn't available last time, and it's the perfect sitch for all of us to relax and enjoy ourselves," 'neb replied, trying to dig himself out of the hole, but Slyrr chuckled.

"Don't worry, neb: Rhonda has Grimm calmed down," he replied.

"More likely, she has him overheated," Kathrine remarked innocently, and the laughter was still in the air when Jade came into the room, followed by a beaming Grimm Probable and Rhonda Fatigable with a wonderful smile on her face.

"Somebody's in a good mood," kt snarked, and Grimm just smiled.

"Well, at least I'm not worrying about Kim's Pandaroo," he replied, but he didn't expect the response he received.

"At least she's open about hers, as opposed to someone else we know," kt smiled sweetly, and Grimm stared at her while Rhonda and Jade laughed.

"What are you talking about?" Grimm took a step toward her, but Rhonda still had his hand, so he didn't move very far.

"Well," kt started, "there was the story out there that Rhonda gave you a CuddleBuddy when you two were younger, but you made her cry when you told her it was lame and not 'macho' enough."

"It was a Lorpion," Rhonda shouted at Grimm, "a cross between a lion and a scorpion: what could have been more 'macho' than that? Besides, you were five years old!"

"But, I made it up to you: Mom brought you that Octo-eater, the cross between octopus and an anteater," Grimm was trying to re-take command…..

"Only because you thought it was freaky," Rhonda shot back. "I thought that 'Octi-' was cute, and you were, trying to apologize for making me cry," Rhonda smiled, and Grin grimaced.

"But, you like your collectables now, don't you, Grimmy?" kt asked sweetly, and Grimm blushed for a moment, and then he recovered and returned to his in-control persona.

"What do you know about collectables, kt, especially mine, assuming that I had any?" he asked with a condescending tone, calling her bluff.

"You just look like a collector of things," kt started, and Rhonda giggled. "I'm assuming that, since whatever you collect has to be 'macho,'" kt used 'air quotes' for her comment, and Jade managed to hold most of her snort back, "you collect some type of figure that is military related. Let me guess: something to do with warships, armor…no, you're more 'old school', so it must have something to do with cannon," kt concluded with an air of confidence in her voice and a look that matched on her face, and Grimm was sputtering and blushing at the same time.

"She's good, Grimm: I told you not to underestimate her," Jade replied as she picked up a glass of the juice and sipped.

"How did she know about the CannonKnights, though? They don't exist in her 'verse," Grimm whined, and Rhonda calmed him down with a kiss on the cheek, making Grimm blush and sputter even more

"Mmmm, that's good juice, Joss: from the last batch of seeds?" Jade asked, and kt laughed. Her eyes darted toward 'neb, and they locked and smiled before the next door opened, and kt's head turned immediately to that door: she knew who it was, and she had been waiting for him….

* * *

Star stood in front of the mirror and groused for the thousandth time about the bow tie.

"I can't get this thing to tie right!" he fussed, pulling it off and thinking once again about someone 'dressing' the turkey just before they cooked it and laughing inside about the 'cooking' probably going on all over the hotel, but a lovely feminine hand came from behind him and brought him back to reality.

"Hush, all right?" she chided. "Just give it to me, and I'll get it," Akinyi stood behind Star, already dressed and ready, and took the tie from his hands. "Now, raise your head and smile," she said as she tied the tie perfectly in just a few moments.

"How did you learn to do that?"

"There are some things, Star, that a lady never tells," Akinyi replied with a serious face.

Star stared at her, and she couldn't help herself: she laughed, hard.

"Star, can I ask you something?" Akinyi asked as she walked into the common living area, followed by Star. She sat on the couch, and he sat in the chair, facing her.

"Certainly, my dear; what is it?"

"Have you ever had…dreams?"

"Well, d'oi," he replied and laughed, but he cut it short when he realized that she was serious.

"What kind of dreams, Akinyi?"

"Strange dreams," she replied, blushing a bit.

"How strange?" he asked. Star had had a strange dream of his own, but he was convinced that it was caused by that buffalo chili and that 'salad' he'd had for dinner last night.

"It was 'naked mole rat' strange," Akinyi replied, and then she started to tell Star what she had dreamed. The more she told him, the more that Star realized that there was something going on that was way past Naked Mole Rat (NMR) strange: it even went past 'Lowardians, appearing from space' weird.

'This is waaaay past strange, even for something that 'neb would dream up,' Star thought and laughed inside as he listened to Akinyi tell him his _**own**_ dream, just from a different point of view.

Then, Star told her **his** dream, and Akinyi sat back, stunned at the story.

* * *

Star walked in with Akinyi on his arm, and kt ran and hugged the surprised Star.

"Hey, guy!" she grinned as she reached up and kissed his cheek, causing Star to blush.

"Branded, and by a 12-year-old," Joss laughed, and Akinyi laughed and hugged kt.

"Happy birthday, kt," Akinyi whispered. "Some birthday present, I assume?" she backed up and looked kt up and down, smiling at the dress.

"A little something for me to tease 'neb with," kt grinned.

"Well, you certainly got his attention," Akinyi smiled and pointed to 'neb: he was smiling broadly at the group, and he had a hand behind his back as he talked to ja. Ja nodded, smiled, and pointed at kt and motioned for her to come to him.

"Well, let's see what happened," kt giggled as she walked over to her dads.

"Dear darling daughter, someone wants to talk to you, privately," ja smiled. "I told him that it was all right with me if it was all right with you," he added, and kt nodded.

"Of course, Dad, 'neb. Where?"

'neb offered his arm, kt took it, and they headed back into the room that kt had just left.

'neb closed the door, and kt giggled.

"What's with the secrecy, 'neb?"

"This," 'neb reached back and pulled out a small package. "Happy 12th birthday, kt: I know you thought I forgot it," and she laughed as he tried to keep a straight face. "Well, I missed it by a couple of days, but I remembered it was coming, and your dad reminded me." 'neb handed her the package, and kt took it with a smile and a 'thank you' mouthed to him.

"I hope you like it," he added as kt placed the package on the table, reached up, and kissed his cheek.

The older man blushed. "What was that for?" 'neb asked.

"Because I wanted to, and because you've been so sweet to me," kt replied, and 'neb saw the tears beginning to form in kt's eyes.

"What's wrong, adopted goddaughter?" 'neb smiled, and that just triggered even more tears. He reached over gingerly and took her shoulders, and she slammed into his body, shaking as she cried.

"What's wrong, kt? Was it something I did?"

"Don't be silly, you big dope, it wasn't you," kt pulled back with a laugh through her tears. She backed up and sat down in the chair that her dad had been in and motioning to another chair for 'neb to sit. He took a seat, confused.

"Kin I ask you somethin', 'neb?" kt asked as she wiped her face, her tears finally slowing to a trickle.

"Cartainly, li'l darlin'" 'neb replied in a Western drawl to her Joss imitation, and kt laughed again. "What's the sitch?"

"Have you ever had a really bizarre dream, 'neb?"

"I don't think you're old enough to know the content, kt," 'neb laughed, "but, yes, I have," he continued but cut it short when he realized that how serious she was

"Just how bizarre was your dream, kt?" he asked. 'neb had had a strange dream of his own last night, but he had been convinced that it was caused by that double-stuffed rattlesnake chili that Slim had served him with the habeñeros mixed and cooked in with the chili sauce. 'I've got to stop experimenting,' he thought when he woke up in a cold sweat.

"It was way past 'you meeting Dr. Adams for the first time' strange," kt replied, and then she started to tell 'neb what she had dreamed. The more she told him, the more that 'neb thought that there was something going on that was way past Doc Adams mint tea strange: we were into 'Sarah, appearing in my study for the first time' weird.

'This is waaaay past strange, even for something that even ja, PRT, or even Cody would or _**could**_ dream up,' 'neb thought and laughed inside as he listened to kt tell him his _**own**_ dream, just from a different point of view.

Then, cpneb told her **his** dream, and kt sat back, stunned at the story

* * *

BeGo was confused, and she had never been this confused before.

"Why am I feeling like this?" she asked out loud.

"Probably, because you have a crush on him," Joss replied from her 'verse inside BeGo's head, and BeGo frowned:

"I.do.not.have.crush.on.an.older.human.male, Joss," she replied, but Joss just laughed in BeGo's head.

"GF, you've got it baaaad," Joss laughed even harder when the knock on the door startled BeGo.

BeGo opened the door, and CajonBear73 handed her a yellow rose. "For a beautiful young lady, BeGo: I hope you like it," and BeGo surprised herself:

She reached up and kissed CajunBear73 on the cheek and murmured, "Thank you, sir," taking the rose and turning, not certain of what to do next.

'Put it in a glass with water, you silly,' Joss told her, and Bego headed for the kitchen and a glass with water.

BeGo returned with the flower in a glass of water and handed it to CajunBear73. "For.you," she smiled.

"You're supposed to keep the flower, Bego: it's a gift," CajunBear73 explained, and BeGo blushed as she took the glass back and placed it on the table next to the chair.

"Perhaps.we.should.go.before.I.embarass.myself.further," she suggested, and CajunBear73 simply smiled and took her hand as they left her room.

"Don't be embarrassed: I think it was sweet that you tried," CajunBear73 added as they headed into the common room.

"And, your dress is gorgeous, BeGo," he added as they stepped into the room. Bego giggled as she walked into the room, causing several heads to turn.

"BeGo!" Joss grabbed her and hugged her tight. "I'm so glad you could come back, GF," she whispered into BeGo's ear.

"I.am.experiencing.positive.feedback.as.well.Joss," Bego replied, and Joss laughed as she pulled back.

"GF, you make that dress look goooood," Joss giggled, and BeGo unconsciously smoothed it. She concentrated, and then she replied.

"Thank you, Jocelyn: I think that he likes me in this dress. I am glad that he considers it acceptable to be seen with someone not of his species," BeGo smiled, and CajunBear73 shot water through his nose.

* * *

Kathrine hoped that he was coming back; she hadn't had a chance to really thank him properly.

The suite door opened, and Crystal, Hope, Liz, and Tara all came in with Sir Sebastian, Ran Hakubi, and him.

'OMG, he's gorgeous: how did I miss that when I saw him when he got on the jet?

'No matter: in for a dollar, in for a Loonie,' she giggled inside as she walked up to him. He was facing away from her, so he didn't see her coming.

"Excuse me, ladies, but is this gorgeous man taken?" Kathrine asked, and he whipped his entire body around in an instant.

"Hello, whitem," Kathrine batted her eyelashes, and whitem knew he was doomed.

'She's only 12, and she's worse than Tara, KP, or Joss ever were at that age!" he thought as he groaned and smiled inside.

"Hello, Kathrine," he held out his hand.

"I never had a chance to thank you for your review, whitem, or for nominating me, and I _**told**_ you I would," and Kathrine reached up, pulled whitem's head down to her level (not that far, especially since she was wearing heels), and proceeded to give him a major lip lock, much to Crystal's and Tara's glee and Liz's pout.

"Thank you, whitem, for believing in me," Kathrine said when she finally released his lips and looked at the surprised whitem. The surprise wore off quickly and was replaced by an evil grin.

"Kathrine, come back in about six years, and you can thank me properly," whitem grinned, and Kathrine blushed and ran away, giggling inside as she heard kt, BeGo, and Joss all yell:

"We got ourselves another branding, and this time it's whitem who's been branded!"

* * *

'neb and kt heard a major rumbling of voices outside in the common room.

"I guess we should get out there: it's about time," 'neb stated, and kt nodded.

"I hope you're alright," he added, and she grabbed him and hugged him.

"How could I **not** be all right with a friend like you?" she gave him her patented melt-father's-heart grin, and she did it to his heart, once again.

"You know I've always got your back, adopted goddaughter," he smiled as he offered his arm, and she took it.

"I know, but it's always nice to hear," she replied as he opened the door to the throng. kt headed over to her dad, and Akinyi came over, grinning.

"You find what you were looking for, 'neb?" she gave him her patented red-headed-heroine's grin.

"We were just talking about something that bothered her, A, but she's all right now," he replied, and Akinyi took his hand.

"Good, 'cause the natives are restless," she laughed. "They're all waiting for more pie," she added, and 'neb winced as he stared onto the mass of bodies in the common room: it was packed to more than overflowing:

Star, ja, kt, Mike Industries and his guest Ino Yamanaka, Twila Starla and her guest Darth Comrade, Lady Rhetorica and Rufus, and Felix Renton as the guest of KarenStern01 were all gathered together and talking.

Campy, Jessica, CaptainKodak1and his guest Widowshark, Blackbird and his guest Longbow, KimRon PosStoppable and her guest Walter Nelson (DH), Fletcher Benge and Rebecca Battle, Pharaoh Rutin Tutin and his guest Sarah Best, and Stephen Michael Lopez and Jennifer Barlow were sharing Joss Possible and Dr. Wade Load stories.

Sir Sebastian and Crystal, whitem and Liz, Grim Probable and Rhonda Fatigable, Slyrr, and Jade were enjoying the sparkling grape juice while Grim was keeping an eye out for cpneb.

Dr. Wade Load and Jocelyn Possible, CajunBear73, BeGo (in attendance in place of King in Yellow), Ran Hakubi, Tara, and Ace Ian Combat, and Ace's guest were all laughing at Tara's stories about the first time she met Ran.

Mags, the pit orchestra concertmaster, the pit choral director, and Captain IT were all guzzling sparking grape juice and trading musician horror stories to multiple waves of laughter. Captain IT almost lost it and shot sparking grape juice through his nose when Mags told him the story about Yo Yo and the conductor with an attitude.

"I'm glad I'm not paying for the food _**or**_ drink," Akinyi quipped, and 'neb laughed.

The room gradually quieted down as people looked up from their conversations when they recognized 'neb's distinctive laugh, and quickly there was a hushed murmur in the background.

"Thank you all for coming," 'neb began, "and thanks for coming back this time: I think we're gonna have an excellent blowout," he continued, but he was cut short by Dr. Load.

"We thank you writers and reader for coming back for the Fannies, back to Middleton, especially after last year's Lowardian 'sitch,'" Wade started, but the door opened.

"Any more room in here?" a female voice familiar to everyone in the room came from the door, and Kim and Ron made their way over to where 'neb and Akinyi were standing.

Kim smiled out onto the room of surprised writers and guests. "Ron and I wanted to stop by and thank you ourselves before tonight's events: it's writers like you that help keep us going, help keep us alive in the hearts and minds of so many. Thank you," she said: "You give others hope where there is none, regardless of ship, and we thank you."

"I especially like the KiGo stories and the HLCS," Ron smiled, and he was verbally assaulted by multiple former MHS cheerleaders and other ladies in the room as well as punched by his BFFGF and Akinyi, the only two ladies within reach.

He didn't seem to mind it much, though….

"Is Zaratan all right?" Kim asked, and 'neb nodded.

"Luckily, no family emergencies: just swamped with work," he replied, and Kim nodded.

"Good," she smiled, and every man in the room got slapped or punched by their female partner. Even Rufus wasn't immune, and Lady Rhetorica laughed as she patted his head after she knocked sense into him.

"Gooooooood little naked mole rat," she coo'ed, and Rufus looked up at her and smiled.

"Cheese?"

"Later, at the Fannies," she replied.

"Booyah," he replied.

"It's Showtime," Mags announced, and she hugged 'neb. "Thanks for the escort, Wade," she hugged him as well, causing Wade to smile.

"'No Big,' Mags," he replied, and she laughed at him.

"Hey, 'neb: I brought the Stutz with me this time, and I'm driving kt to the Awards, old school," ja laughed.

"No big, sir: we'll see you there," and ja and kt waved as they headed out the door.

"It's Showtime!" neb called out, and the room began to empty in a way only writers could leave a room.

* * *

"It's Showtime," Zaratan said to himself as he opened his dressing room door, stepping out onto the backstage before the crowd began to fill the Center.

* * *

**Author's afterward:**

It's Showtime, and it's really here…

Yes, indeed: the Fannies are here, so who won? We'll find out, in good time …

* * *

Next, on_** Road Trip**_

**P2, C1: …Post-show winner interviews, and the After-Party begins here.**

* * *

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting all of us on this new journey. of discovery, of wonder, of PFP...

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

* * *

2008.03.29

* * *


	11. P1C11: car talk…

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

* * *

**A/N Forward: **

A bit of a surprise for Jocelyn, and an adventure for all

* * *

**P1, C11: car talk….**

* * *

_**On the way to the Fannies…**_

Limo 1:

"Thanks for the invite, Twila," Darth Comrade poured her another drink.

"My pleasure, Darth," Twila smiled as she took the glass. 'I'm becoming a sparkling juice lush, and I never liked the stuff before!'

"Are you happy you came, Karen?" Felix asked. He thought he'd read her the first trip, but she seemed quieter this visit.

"I am," she replied. "Just thinking about this 'whole trip sitch,'" she added, and Felix chuckled.

'Kim rubs off on everybody,' he thought.

"It's been a dream come true, Felix, especially being with you. You could have gone with anyone, and I was so excited that you accepted my invitation."

"You're no slouch, Karen: you're a lovely young woman, and I'm sure you've got a 'Load' of BFs back home waiting for you," he smiled and took her hand.

'If he only knew,' she thought.

Limo 2:

BeGo smiled at CajunBear73.

'Why am I feeling so strange?' she asked herself.

'BeGo's got a boy-friend, BeGo's got a boy-friend,' Joss sang in her head from her one universe.

'_**I DO NOT**_!' she yelled back in her head.

'He is cute, though, and such a gentleman; he reminds me of Dr. James Possible, and he's nothing like Dr. Lipsky,' she smiled inside as she processed her options: after 3.59274 seconds (she was confused), she came to a decision:

She reached over and took CajunBear73's hand and squeezed it gently.

He looked at her in surprise ad smiled, squeezing her hand back.

"I.believe.that..you.have.a.chance.to.win," she smiled

"Thank you, BeGo, but I'm just happy to be nominated," CajunBear73 replied with a smile.

'Why are all of these human males so exasperating?' BeGo screamed inside her head, and she would have sworn that she heard Joss laughing at her.

"Tara, just who is Cole Porter?" Ran asked her again, and Tara sighed.

'For such a hunk, he can be dense on some things…and never having heard of Cole Porter? Blasphemous!'

"He's a composer from 'back in the day,' Ran: he wrote some really pretty and romantic songs, and there's going to have a sing-a-long at the after party, and I want to sing with you, but if you don't want to..." she smiled sadly and began to turn her head away from him.

"I didn't say I didn't want to: I just don't know the piece," Ran interjected, and Tara's head stopped its motion and turned back to look into his eyes.

"All right, then: there'll be a TelePromptor available, so you can follow and sing along," she smiled, and Ran felt like he had been just led into the slaughterhouse, all five times….

"Well," Ino snuggled up next to Mike, "at least you have no more grape surprises this time," she smiled up at him.

'I certainly hope not," Mike replied, almost losing his place in his thoughts as he looked into her eyes. "I could stare at those eyes for a long, long time," he whispered to himself, and Ino giggled.

"You and your American-style humor, Mikey," she winked at him.

"Are you mad at me after Kathrine kissed me?" whitem asked Liz: she sat with her arms crossed in the limo.

She turned at his question and grinned, placing her arm around him. "Of course not, silly: she is 12, after all. You do need to not make that a habit, though," she smirked.

"Make what a habit?"

"Getting kissed while you're out on a date with another woman is **not** a good idea."

"Is this a date?"

"You tell me," she replied as she kissed his nose and then his lips.

"Works for me," he smiled, and so did she.

Limo 3:

Walter Nelson was convinced that he had hit another mother load when he had accepted this invite from KimRon PosStoppable.

'What a woman!' he thought. 'If it wasn't for Mon, I'd be in serious trouble."

"What a man!' KimRon thought. 'Why isn't there someone like him back home, out there, in here?' she wondered, and then she chuckled.

"What's so funny, KR?"

"Just thinking how lucky I am, Walter," she replied as she smiled at him and squeezed his hand.

'I'm in a limo with a Naked Mole Rat in my lap in Middleton,' Lady Rhoterica laughed to herself. 'This has to rank in the totally bizarre list of things that could happen.'

"Anything's 'Possible,' Lady R," she looked down with a start, and Rufus was looking up at her and smiling.

'I've died and gone to Valhalla,' Sir Sebastian grinned as he held Crystal in his arms.

'I've died and gone to Heaven," Crystal smiled inside as she snuggled into Sir Sebastian's arms.

Limo 4:

"How did she know about my CannonKnights?" Grimm groused once again, and Jade laughed.

"Get over it, 'Grimmy,'" Rhonda shot back at him.

"That Doctor Adams is cute," Jade said to the air, and Slyrr laughed.

"And, so is ja," Rhonda added: she and Jade looked at each other and had the same thought:

"**CPNEB**!" they shouted and laughed, and Grimm grimaced.

"He could be Wade's older brother," Jade commented, and Rhonda nodded.

"A hunk of sweet, dark chocolate," Rhonda giggled and blushed. "Besides, Grimm, you're got a thing for both Kathrine and kt, and it's not just for the 'size of their weapons,' either," Rhonda laughed, and Grimm grew a redder blush.

'Teenagers,' Slyrr laughed as he drank from a glass with bottled water poured into it.

Limo 5:

"You're quiet, 'nebster: what's wrong?" Akinyi asked him.

"I'm worried that I'll let all of you down, that's what,' he replied softly.

Star laughed. "'neb, that'll never happen: win or lose, or tie with KiY, you'll never let us down."

"I think we'll keep you around," Kathrine Elizabeth Load grinned, and she got up, walked over to 'neb and kissed his cheek. 'neb smiled and hugged Kathrine before she went back to her seat.

"I concur, Kathrine," Sarah followed her lead, and 'neb smiled even more as Sarah hugged him.

He looked up, and he was assaulted by 'Strawberry Goodness.'

"I'll keep you around, too," Jocelyn Possible smiled. "Thanks for everything, 'neb."

"I am _**not**_ kissing him!" came from both Dr. Adams and Dr. Load, and the limo shook with laughter as Joss went back to her seat.

"Thanks for the ride, 'neb" pinkymint smiled from her seat with Dr. Adams.

"We're here," came from the driver as the limo pulled to a stop.

"Let's go get some Fannie," Pharaoh Rutin Tutin called out, and Sarah shushed him with a kiss.

"I think you're weird…but, I like weird, PRT," she giggled and slapped his hand away from her rear as the door to the limo opened onto the lights and the Red Carpet….­­­­

* * *

**Author's afterward:**

* * *

A little something extra before the event…

Yes, indeed: the Fannies are here, so who won? We'll find out, in good time …

* * *

Next, on_** Road Trip**_

**P2, C1: …Post-show winner interviews and the After-Party begins here.**

* * *

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

* * *

2008.03.30

* * *


	12. P2C1: …and, that's a wrap!

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

* * *

**A/N Forward: **

It's over, but it's just beginning...

* * *

**P2, C1: …and, that's a wrap!**

* * *

Jason 'Zaratan' Jones stepped to the front of the stage one final time as the applause subsided and the audience remained standing. "It's been an amazing ride, folks, and while this is the end of this show, it's by no means the end for us. Kim Possible was ended once and we kept going, and I can't see that changing anytime soon. New ideas, new writers, amazing stories, and we'll be back next year to recognize as many as possible.

"I'd like to thank Triaxx, King in Yellow, Commander Argus and CaptainKodak1: without them, this wouldn't be possible. I have a huge 'Thank You' to Gray Cardinal, who helped big time when I was desperate for help. And, to everyone who took the time to present an award, give a speech, review, read, or just show up: thank you all. This would never happen without all of you in the 'Kimmunity!'

"So, for one final time," he smiled, "this is Jason 'Zaratan' Jones, saying:

"Good Night, and keep 'Kim Possible' alive in you, always!"

Megs dropped her baton, and the orchestra responded:

_**BEEP - BEEP – be - DEEP!**_

The drummers and bass players kicked off the magical riff, and the familiar signature opening sounds echoed once again to even louder and cheers from the audience and stage.

Cast members hugged, kissed and finally formed a gigantic group hug on stage.

"_**JASON!**_" Kim shouted out, and Jason turned around just before he stepped backstage.

Kim had a smile on her face, normally was reserved for Ron, as she beckoned to Jason with a single index finger, like a woman seductively calling her man to her. "You don't get away that easily, guy."

Her emerald eyes drilled into the very core of Jason's soul. He gulped, and he took tentative steps back toward the cast; then, he realized that there was a line forming of cast members, and the line was headed by Kim, Ron, Rufus, and Wade.

Jason stopped in front of Kim. "We can't thank you enough, Jason," Kim began, "for all you've done for us, for all the hard work you've put in, for all the sleep you've lost poring over this year's event, and," tears were streaming down Kim's face, "and, for caring so much for all of us," and she grabbed him and hugged him.

"Thank you," she whispered into his ear, her tears washing down his face and onto his clothes, "for everything," she pulled back and kissed him quickly on the lips and stepped back. Then, she grinned and kissed him once again, a kiss reminiscent of the one that she gave Ron during Junior Prom, and then she stepped back, blushing. 'Sudden Impact' filled Jason's mind as a smile filled Kim's face, now almost as red as her hair.

"Thanks, guy," Ron smiled and gave Jason a manly hug. "You really do love us all, and we all love you, right back," he whispered, and Jason felt a tear hit his cheek. Ron stepped back, and Jason saw tears on his face. "We've been praying for your Nana, Z, and we'll keep doing that; it's the least we could do." Jason felt his face begin to wet as he nodded his thanks.

Rufus hopped onto Jason's shoulder and grabbed his ear. He whispered into it: "My Cheddar, your Cheddar: my Gouda, your Gouda," and he then took Jason's face in his paws and kissed his nose, and only then did he run back down to jump into Ron's tuxedo jacket pocket.

Jason laughed as he heard a loud "HONK!" come from Ron's pocket, and he smiled as he watched four tissues go flying out the pocket. "Three years of Fannies, and I thought I'd seen and done it all. A few minutes ago, I thought the walking podium was the clincher. Now, I've been kissed by a Naked Mole Rat," he laughed.

"Thanks so much, Jason," Wade walked up, offering a hand. Jason shook it, and both men smiled as the giggle came from Wade's other hand.

"You still like my rack, Jason?" Joss grinned as she reminded Jason of the gift she gave him at last year's awards ceremony.

Jason grinned. "I touch it every day for good luck, Joss," he replied, and Wade, Ron, Rufus (who by now had stuck his head out and was wiping away little Naked Mole Rat tears of joy) and Kim all laughed as Joss blushed even more. "And, they're still pointy, too," he added, and he held open his arms to embrace the now-blushing Joss as she ran into them.

"Thanks, guy, for everything, and especially for encouraging 'neb," she smiled as she pulled back and kissed his cheek. "That was the best thing that ever happened to me; heaven forbid, one of you _**could**_ have decided that I needed to live with Shego," she laughed.

"And, the problem with that would have been…what, '_Little_' Princess'?" the distinctive voice came from behind, and Jason smiled as he turned and saw the Green Goddess stepping toward him.

"Zaratan, thanks for not slapping me with the costs for repairs from last year's Fannies," Shego started with a laugh. "And, thanks for these past three years of ceremonies," she smiled and stepped toward him, hands glowing. Her hands dampened as she took Jason's head in her hands.

"Pucker up, Jason, you're about to get a 'Shego-smack-snack,'" she whisper-smiled as her lips attacked Jason's mouth, and she forced Jason's mouth open and proceeded to perform a non-anesthetic tonsillectomy on him.

"_**SHEGO!"**_ The voice came from a mortified Drakken, but she ignored him.

"Need…air," Jason laughed, feigning lightheadedness. "Need…air…die…happy," Jason separated his lips finally from Shego, and he smiled and took her head into his hands.

"On the 'Shego quality scale of goodness,' I'd give it a seven...no, an eight," she grinned evilly; "no, let's make that a full 'niner,' not a 'nooner,'" she smirked, and Jason laughed with her, much to Drew Lipsky's distress.

"Thanks to you, dear lady, now I neither need a dentist visit for at least five years **nor** need to have those nasty tonsils removed," he quipped and kissed her lips quickly. "You are an incredible woman, Shego."

"You almost make me glad I didn't fry you last year," she quipped a she struck a pose. "Well…almost," she smirked and kissed his cheek. "Congrats on the business deal, by the way: they're the lucky ones, you know?" she added as she reached over and took Drew's hand; a tendril then snaked from Drew and around her waist as they walked away.

"Thanks, Shego," Jason called as she left, and she added a bit of motion to let **him **know **she knew** he was watching.

Drew glanced back and smiled at Jason, and another tendril came up and gave Jason the universal sign for 'We're number one.'

"Would that be 'flower power', Drew?" Dr. James T. Possible called out, and Drew responded with his own symbol, much to the delighted laughs of Kim and Ron. James stepped forward as the orchestra segued into 'Say the Word.'

"Good job once again, son," he added, and he shook Jason's hand.

"Indeed, Jason," the statuesque and beautiful redheaded woman added as she stepped up to Jason and smiled. "Thank you, kind sir," Dr. Anne Possible said simply and curled Jason's toes with her kiss: the front of his shoes literally curled upward, much to the delight of the audience and the other cast members.

Jason got more congratulations and more hugs and kisses, but one person remained in the background until all the others had left: the one person he wanted to talk to was hovering in the background, waiting for a chance…and then, Miss. Bonnie Rockwaller stepped forward, just as the orchestra segued into 'Could It Be?' and Bonnie's entire face was wet from…tears?

"Jason," gone was the traditional Bonnie snark, replaced by a soft and tender voice, "will I see you again? Will we work together again, ever?" she asked in a voice that he had never heard from her: a voice filled with fear, not loathing.

Jason took her hand and squeezed it. "You're scared of 'Fading to White,' aren't you?" he asked her, and she laughed a bit while she nodded, flipping tears onto the front of his jacket.

"As long as I write, my dear Bonnie, you will _never_ be forgotten," Jason said with confidence as he pulled her closer, and Bonnie slammed the rest of the distance into Jason's chest and bawled uncontrollably.

Jason held her as she cried her fears out, soaking his jacket and shirt, and then she pulled her head back, her teal eyes boring into Jason's soul, and then she kissed him.

Her kiss said 'I believe you, I trust you, I love you, and I'll never let you down, my dearest friend, forever;' he understood her kiss completely and nodded in response.

Bonnie pulled her head back and adopted her 'Queen B' aspect.

"Well," she replied, her patented attitude having returned to her voice along with the normal volume, "just as long as we understand each other," she wiped her face and gently punched him in the side.

Jason reached down and gently slapped her rear end. "Sure thing, Bon-Bon," he replied, and the audience roared its approval.

That's when Jason realized two things:

One, the sound crew hadn't turned off his microphone; and

Two, the spotlight, literally, had been on him the entire time.

Jim and Tim Possible laughed as Wade nodded at them: the spotlight faded, but the applause didn't.

"And, that's a wrap! Great show, everybody," the announcer called out into the hundreds of ear buds around the room.

"Oops," Wade grinned as Jason growled at all three of them, but he couldn't hold the growl through the grin.

"Hey, we had to pay for these monkey suits somehow," Tim laughed, and Jason nodded as Jim twisted his bow tie nervously.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen," Wade continued, "we're having the After Party here in the Center, but you need to head to the lobby for about 30 minutes while we re-configure this room.

"Drinks and munchies are outside, and….guys, you'd better step to the walls…" Wade grinned, "ladies, there's 'Tade' pie and ice cream outside, compliments of the Ron-man," and the sound of thundering heels filled the room as the vast majority of the ladies headed for the exit doors.

GJ Security flattened against the walls; at least, those not participating in the stampede themselves. Betty shook her head sadly: she, at least, had the common courtesy to walk briskly to the lobby rather than run...

'Stampede!' Jason thought, and he flashed back to 'Showdown at the Crooked D,' laughing inside as he watched 'the running of the heels.' He had never seen that stampede re-enacted in real life before, and he marveled at the sight.

"Now," Wade continued after the final person left the center, "the rest of you can exit safely," he laughed,  
"at least without being 'spiked' on the way out," he added as he flexed his hand: Joss had almost pulled his fingers off when she tried to let go of Wade's hand and head for the door. "There are other foods out there, and we'll be ready to let everyone back in, real soon."

The rest of the cast left the stage, and most of the writers and guests headed out of the room….

**--O--**

Sarah Janine Best had managed to make it off the stage before the stampede had left the room, and she had managed to make her way back to the 'Table of Power,' as Mike Industries had dubbed it long before the awards were handed out. 'neb was still sitting there, and he was staring at the two Fannie awards he had won. Sarah was worried about him after she heard his acceptance speech for Most Voted Writer, but she hadn't had a chance to talk to him.

'It's now or never,' she thought.

"'neb," Sarah called out, and he lifted his head. His eyes were red, and happy had left his face and the building.

"So," he asked softly, "are you coming to tell me 'good-bye?'" and she could tell that he was fighting back tears

"Now, 'neb, why in the heck would I do that?" she smiled. "Are you planning to go somewhere, soon?"

"No, but I let you down, Sarah, and you didn't win, and it's my fault, not yours, and I'm sorry, and I know you said you wouldn't leave, but I wouldn't blame you if you did leave me, so-"

**WHAP!**

'neb was shocked and surprised: he had just been slapped by Sarah Janine Best, an animated character in his world, and it hurt to high heaven. He gingerly touched his face and rubbed the stinging spot. Wondering if this was what it was like to be in her fight she'd had with Shego, his thought rapidly left his mind when he looked up into her loving, sad, and blazingly-angry eyes.

"Have you _**lost**_ your ever-lovin' _**mind**_, 'neb, or are you just having another MS exacerbation in that multi-tiered multi-tasking brain of yours?" Sarah glared at him.

"Do you realize that if this were last year, you would have won a bunch of awards?

"Do you realize just how much impact you've had on the Kimmunity?"

Sarah reached out, grabbed 'neb's hand, and pulled him to his feet. "Did you not look at the list of winners, guy?"

She pointed at the table in front of them. "Look at the table, 'neb: the 'Table of Power,'" she laughed, "name provided courtesy of Mike Industries, the young man who handed you this," and she reached down and handed him the Fannie for Most Voted Writer. "Did you count the winners sitting at this table? _**15**_, 'neb, **15** out of the **24** winners, and all three of the majors: Writer, New Writer, and Young Writer, were sitting here because **you** invited them: no one else did. Over **half** of the nominees were seated here, and they were here because of you.

"**YOU**!" she poked him in the chest, and he laughed.

"You're not perfect, not by any stretch of the imagination," she grinned, "well, except for yours," she giggled, and they laughed together.

"You promised that you weren't going to leave me if I lost, remember?" He nodded. "And, you made me promise that I wouldn't leave you if you lost. Did you expect me to go back on my promise?"

"Well, you had no reason to stick with me…" he replied.

"Wrong, O 'neb-breath," she laughed. "I have one basic reason to stay:

"Friendship, pure and simple," she smiled as she reached out and took his hand, and he marveled once again at the warmth and softness. "Just like the rest of the folks at the table applauded for you when your nominees were announced, and just like they cheered for you when you won: they believe in you, just like you believe in them. Why else did you jump up and applaud when CaptainKodak1 won in the category I **know** you wanted to win?" she smirked, and he was caught red-handed: a neat trick for him, to say the least.

"He deserved to win, Sarah," he replied, "he's a great writer."

"Just like you deserved to win," she replied, "or, at least, tie for it," she smiled. "But, 'that's not important,' 'neb," she laughed. "It doesn't matter what all of the voters think, it only matters what your fans think. The fact that you are the most voted writer this year tells me that you have at least one or two fans 'out there, in here,'" she laughed again as she used 'air quotes,' "and they care about you, 'neb," she added with a smile.

"They _**believe**_ in you, 'neb," Sarah spoke in a soft, quiet voice, but it penetrate the noise of the room, "just like **we** believe in **you**, **I** believe in **you**, and just like **you** believe in **us**."

Sarah pulled her hands back and crossed her arms over her chest, raising her voice back to normal. "So, guy, it's up to you: are you going to have your own personal, private, and 'prime pity party, for one' tonight, or are you going to go out there and congratulate your friends and, by the way, get congratulated, yourself?"

Sarah smirked at him for several moments while he looked into her eyes, looked down in embarrassment, and then looked back up with a huge smile.

"Let's go out there and celebrate 'Team 'neb's wins, Miss Best," 'neb said as he reached his right hand forward and took Sarah's left hand, and the two of them headed out of the Center.

"By the way: nice use of alliteration, Miss Best, in the five-p category," 'neb quipped and Sarah laughed as she pulled him closer to her.

"Oh, and one other thing," he said as they continued for the door. "Just how _**did**_ you know how I was feeling?" he asked, and Sarah laughed.

"Never underestimate the power of a 12-year-old, 'nebster: kt's been watching you the entire evening and passing notes and comments to Akinyi and me all night long. She's worried about you, Lord knows why," Sarah chuckled. "Gee, it's like you two were related or something, or like she actually _cared_ about your feelings," she continued as they exited the room, and 'neb was too preoccupied to see the young lady standing in the shadows, watching the room being transformed into, as her Dad called it, 'something wonderful.'

**--O--**

kt watched as Sarah came down from the stage**, **and she pulled her Dad's hand as they headed toward the exit.

"Dad, if it's all right with you, I'll stay in here for a few minutes: I've never seen a live tear-down before," she looked up into her father's eyes and smiled.

"You'll enjoy it, Three-D," ja laughed. "Seeing the transformation is a miracle in itself: it's something wonderful to watch, and even more fun to experience.

"I'll see you out front in the lobby next to the giant glass staircase, and don't be late," he added with a smile as he headed for the exit, leaving kt standing in the room.

kt stepped back against the wall and watched Sarah talk to 'neb, pulling him up and poking him. They were both laughing and, at one point, 'neb looked down as if he were embarrassed about something. But, that went away quickly when he looked up with a huge smile, and he took Sarah's hand and left the room with her.

Now, the only individuals left in the room, besides her, were the orchestra members, the choir, and Captain IT's band, all still in the pit, laughing and talking. The Wadebots were moving chairs and tables in a silent and a massively efficient manner; 'they'll be finished in 10 minutes or less,' kt thought.

….

She looked up: it had been 12 minutes, and the room had been vacated by man, machine, and Wadebot: the Wadebots were finished, the pit musicians were was all backstage, most likely in the 'Green Rooms,' the tables and chairs were all decorated, and the candles were all lit, the flames flickering in the soft breeze of the air conditioning. There was still a stage, albeit half the size of the awards stage, and the candles were still lit at the back.

The only person remaining in the room was the youngest writer in attendance, and she had won multiple awards from the evening's festivities as well as participated in giving one of their awards away.

She looked down at her hands, flexed her fingers, and smiled as she reflected on the events of the evening…

"It's quiet," she said to the air.

"Did I doze off? I was standing there, but I didn't think that they left that quietly," she chuckled.

"I think that everyone is **finally** in the lobby now; enjoying 'Tade' pie and ice cream," she laughed. "Hopefully, with my evil twin from the future!" she laughed, once again, out loud now, and the laugh echoed throughout the vacant room.

"This was a really good – no it was a great ceremony," she smiled.

"I'm real glad to see that Mikey's getting better; he really had us all worried with his accident and all. Shows you what a lot of thoughts, wishes and prayers, and a little 'Ino,'" she grinned, "will do for you when everyone pulls together as a group, as a Kimmunity. Just like we did for Tony...

"Tony!" She looked upward to the ceiling. "Dear God, please take care of Kathleen, and help us look out for Tony when you're too busy with the rest of the world. I hope that he makes it through, but I think he will. He's got this group of nuts surrounding him," she laughed, "so he should be ok. I'm glad Jason gave that memorial; Dad and I wouldn't have had the idea to give the award to Kathleen if we hadn't known about her. And whitem, that dear man, giving Tony the award that we gave him: I could kiss him on the cheek all night long for that," she blushed, thinking abut kissing the handsome man and a full night of 'branding.'

"'It's a little bit funny,'" she sang and laughed to herself, "but right, the Fan Fiction world feels now," she giggled as she channeled Yoda for a moment. "All of the little sounds you could and, then, couldn't hear sound right again: a happy, little, world all stirred into a in a real world of pure chaotic fun."

She grinned: "I think I'll take a virtual walk around this world; after all, Dad and cpneb don't have a monopoly on tucking everybody in. I wonder how many times we've passed in the night with the same idea, how many times we've been visited by the same bunnies," she thought to herself as she patted her BE4000. "Not that either of them would tell me: purely their demeanor, of course. And 'neb is 'Mother's little helper' to a whole lot of us."

Before she could start her walk, she suddenly shivered; a feeling she had in the Colorado winters when the wind came down the mountains and through the passes. It was the kind of cold that cut right through you, no matter how many layers of clothing you wore.

"Does anyone know why I'm shivering? I had this funny feeling for a moment, as if I was seeing this all through someone else's eyes, someone who knew I might never exist…that none of us in attendance tonight existed, at least not in this imaginary world of _Kim Possible**…**_or am **I **the imaginary one in the real world of _Kim Possible_?

"Sure," she laughed out loud. "Anytime I want to get measured for a couch, a long rest, and a padded room. I'll believe…no, it's nothing, just an odd feeling.

"Yet, I know what it was," she said to herself, to the air, to the 'ghosts of winners, yet to come.' "It was one of those days when you know just how good it was to be here at the Fannies, but then you suddenly think: what if we hadn't been here?

"There had been a time when so much hung in the balance: Kim and Ron didn't exist beyond Season 3. Maybe some, or none, of us, writing in this world, wouldn't have done it or continued to do it anymore.

"Then," she smiled, "things changed, and along came Season 4, after 'neb had 'Blue Eyes, Shining,'" she laughed, realizing that she was promoting his stuff. "Guess that's not self-promotion, then, 'neb," she giggled to herself. "Sorry, adopted godfather, but I couldn't resist."

Then, she pulled herself up and looked forward. "So, you see, Mr. Schooley, Mr. McCorkle, and Disney Studios, I'm being very logical for a 12-year-old. There's a perfectly logical explanation why KP continues to live.

"So, **why** am I still shivering?" She asked herself, wrapping her arms around herself in a hug. "And why do I feel as if there's something we _**still **_need to do?

"That's crazy: there's nothing that we could do about what's happened that could change the past; but, then again, who's to say what about the future?"

She was calm but then an evil 'take over the world' grin appeared on her face.

"Anyway," she smiled as she looked over at Akinyi walking in with two plates of 'Tade' pie a' la mode and a smile on her face that would light the entire KPverse, "that would be a whole 'nother story. I know somebody who'd say, 'Haven't you all done enough for one day?'

"My answer?

"Of course not: all of us writing in this universe leave a mark; Dad and 'neb taught me that. For how long that mark remains, I can't say, but the mark _**will**_ remain, sure as I'll never be 11 again," and she, once again, thought wistfully of those monkey bars...

"I'm just glad to be a tiny part of it," she smiled, pulled out a pair of old-style Rayban shades, slipped them on her face, and then she hefted the BE4000 from the folds of her dress and looked skyward. "Thank you for allowing me to be a part of all of this: this future's so bright, I'm gonna need these," she laughed as she touched her glasses and Akinyi walked up.

"Lovin' the shades, kt. Pie?" Akinyi asked, and kt laughed and nodded as she handed Akinyi a pair of the Rayban shades. Akinyi put them on and captured her '_**Wo**_**Men** in Black' aspect.

"Agents 'J' and 'K' are back on duty," Akinyi said with a straight face as she pointed her pie fork skyward and then laughed, and kt almost shot semi-solid projectile contents from her nose from her laughter fit. "The fork is my Cricket, I shall not want," she continued in that deadpan manner, and kt almost dropped her BE4000, laughing so hard.

"Indeed," she replied when she finally calmed down, placed her weapon back in the folds of her dress, and took the plate from Akinyi. "Thanks, A, for everything: you're my hero," kt continued as she took a bite of pie.

"No big, kt," Akinyi replied as she took a bite of her own dessert. "Ummm, this is good pie," she continued and took another bite before she answered.

"You're more than welcome, kt: you deserved the award, you know," Akinyi said with a smile.

"No, I didn't, A: I'm not that good," kt replied.

"You say that one more time, little missy," Akinyi laughed, "and you're getting crates of **seedless** grapes for the rest of your life on a daily basis, you hear me?"

The expression on kt's face said '_**bring**_ it!' but she responded instead:

"Five by five, A," kt laughed, "five by five."

"Glad we got that straight," Akinyi laughed, and then she turned serious. "Did Sarah talk to 'neb?"

"Oh, yeah," kt laughed, "she straightened him out," kt replied, and Akinyi nodded and laughed as she took her last bite of pie and ice cream.

"I'll bet she could have straightened him out," Akinyi laughed, and kt looked at her strangely. For some unknown reason, kt had a mental flash of 'neb, in his tuxedo, strapped to a medieval rack, and Sarah and Dr. Adams were, literally, 'turning the screws.' She suppressed the urge to giggle or laugh; she only smiled thinly.

"Sorry: I've been around 'neb too long," Akinyi explained, and kt nodded.

"A, can I ask you a question?"

"Only if you're able to **speak**," Akinyi laughed, and kt swatted at her with a full load of exasperation.

"**May** I ask you a question, then?"

"Of course, kt: what's the sitch?"

"Have you ever had any really 'strange' dreams, Akinyi?" kt asked as they headed toward the exit door and the lobby.

**--O--**

"Hey, guy, are you all right?" Star asked 'neb as he and Sarah entered the lobby. Star handed them each a glass for a toast.

"I'm fine, now, Star, thanks to this wonderful young lady," 'neb smiled.

"And, all of your friends who were worried about you, 'neb, and Star here was one of them," Sarah smiled, and Star blushed.

"You, too?" 'neb added, and Star nodded. "I must have been a full-blown rump roast, then," 'neb laughed.

"You were, indeed, and fully seasoned, but tough as a board: you hadn't caught on, yet, but it seems that Sarah set you straight," he replied with a laugh.

"To 'Team 'neb,' and the man who gave me the idea and the name," 'neb held up his glass and Sarah held hers up, as well.

"To the founder of 'Team' neb,' the man who drug me into the 'Hallway,'" Star laughed as he clicked glasses with 'neb and Sarah, and neb and Sarah clicked glasses/

"'Team 'neb,'" Sarah repeated, and she took a drink from her glass. "Good sparkling grape juice; from the AJP collection, 'neb?" Sarah laughed, and 'neb held up his arms in a 'Who Knows?" motion.

"You keep this up, and either the entire room will become your table, or everyone else will hate you because you're pushing and somehow producing the winners," Star laughed, but then he looked serious for a moment.

"Listen, 'neb: I have something to ask you. Sarah, if you don't mind, I'm going to steal him away for a moment," Star's eyes pled with Sarah, and she nodded her approval almost imperceptibly.

"'neb," Star started as the two gentlemen walked away from Sarah, "Have you had any really strange dreams lately?"

Sarah laughed to herself, and she felt a soft kiss on her neck.

"It that's neither Chip nor Ron, you're cruisin' for a beatdown," she smiled sweetly, and she turned to look into twin pools of chocolate brown that flashed a bit of blue.

"Is 'neb all right?" he asked, and she nodded.

"He doesn't have a clue about what happened, but Star is about to tell him something about it, more likely than not," she replied.

"Oh, he's starting to remember: I could see it in his face earlier, when he was on stage," Ron laughed.

"None of them have put it all together, have they?"

"Nope," Ron replied.

"What do you think they'll say?" Sarah asked.

"Well, they **all** do know about the '**_Oops_**' sitch don't they?" Ron laughed, and Sarah joined in with him.

She finally knew something else that 'neb, and even ja and kt, didn't know, and she knew that it would vex all of them so that they hadn't figured it out earlier.

* * *

**Author's afterward:**

We have winners, but there are no losers, because the nominees all are wonderful additions to the KP Multi-verse.

The Fannies are over, let the party begin!

* * *

Next, on _**Road Trip:**_

**P2C2: Dirty Old Men**

* * *

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.


	13. P2C2: Dirty old men

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

--

**A/N Forward: **

It's over, but it's just beginning

--

**P2, C2: Dirty old men...**

_(Or, is it a state of mind?)_

--

Jason 'Zaratan' Jones looked over the lobby and laughed inside. There was cpneb, ja of jakt, CaptainKodak1, MrDrP, Star-Eva01, campy, and CajunBear73, all together with Dr. Mr. Possible and Mr. Stoppable. There were no wives, dates, or guests with them.

'Now, there's the stereotypical group of dirty middle-aged and old men, although I think they'd all qualify for middle-aged,' he smiled as Cody McArthur Fett had managed to pull Bonnie away from him with promises of PFP a la mode and a personal feeding session from him. Bonnie winked and mouthed 'we'll talk later and Jason nodded as Cody smiled when Bonnie took his arm and walked away.

"So, Dr. Possible, who is going to answer the question?" MrDrP asked, and James waved his hand at Kim. Kim, being the perfect daughter, came as soon as she decided to come.

"Kimmie-cub," James smiled, "these fine men have a question for you."

"Certainly, gentlemen," Kim responded, and she laughed inside as several of them had barely perceptible swoon from her voice 'I've got them hooked!' she grinned inside, but then she looked at Star-Eva01 and internally swooned herself. 'Just like _he_ has _me_ hooked,' she smiled outwardly at Star.

"So, what's the sitch?"

"The sitch, Miss Possible," ja started, but Kim cut him off with a wave of her hand.

'Gentlemen, please: it's Kim to all of you, or even Kimmie-cub," she smiled at MrDrP, "if you've been good this year; otherwise, I'll be forced to call all of you Mister or Doctor for the rest of the night."

"Kimberly Ann!" her father grinned. "Remember, they're not 'show folk.'"

"That's right, Daddy: they're friends, all of them: that's why I'm treating them that way, like friends," Kim replied, and ja adjusted his hat and, on a whim, pulled it off and placed it on Kim's perfect hairdo.

"These fine gentlemen all want to know where you're going to college," James stated, and Kim took on an aspect that made even her father a bit nervous with her smile.

"Certainly, Daddy: I'll whisper it to each of them," she stated, "but they have to agree not to tell each other."

The writers all nodded their agreement, and Kim began.

Kim went first to MrDrP and whispered into his ear. He grew a big grin and nodded, and Kim started to seal the conversation with a kiss on his cheek, but stopped when he held his hand up. She took it and squeezed it, and he smiled at her understanding.

"Remember, no _spoilers_," she laughed, and MrDrP grinned and nodded. She wanted to tell him something, but she couldn't remember what it was….

Kim went to each writer in turn and whispered into their ear, following the response with a kiss on the cheek and the reminder of 'no _spoilers_!'

When she finished with ja as the last writer she told, she placed the hat back on his head and aligned it properly. "Now, **that's** how 'South Dakota Smith' wears it," she announced, and ja and James Possible both laughed.

The writers all thanked Kim, and she stepped away with her father.

"Kimmie-cub, just what did you tell them?" he asked her, and she smiled.

"I told them their own 'version of the truth,' Daddy: the one that goes with what they're writing," Kim explained. "All the little details…just which college I was going to in their 'verses, and so forth. I will admit that 'neb was funny, though, since he has me already in college in the future in _**Define, Hell**_, but I managed to explain that to him, too, so I think it'll work out alright."

"Kimmie-cub!" James had a shocked look on his face. "You _**lied**_ to these wonderful writers?"

"No, Daddy; I gave it to them from _**their**_ point of view," Kim looked exasperated. "Look: if I told them what I was _**really**_ going to do, that would make it canon, and we know that Schooley and McCorkle aren't around anymore to do their sitch, so all is fair game." Kim smiled wickedly. "Or, as jakt would say, it's 'Open Season,'" she laughed.

"Besides, Daddy, I just couldn't bear to see any of them disappointed, so I told them what they needed to hear, and they all believed me." Kim put on her smirk and her hands on her hips, and James laughed as she reminded him of his wife when she had reached a decision: no forces in the known universes would shake her, now.

"You really think that they ALL believed you and won't compare notes?"

"DADDY!" she grinned and winked at her father. :"I AM Kim Possible, after all, and I CAN do anything," she crossed her arms over the chest with a self-satisfied look on her face.

"Including putting Akinyi, kt, Star, and 'neb through all you've put them through?" He grinned.

"Oh puh-lese, Daddy," Kim laughed, "the guys are eating it up, and kt and Akinyi are so deliriously happy that they can't think even _**think**_ straight. They'll figure it out, soon enough; otherwise, we'll have to tell them," she reached out and hugged James. "Now, Daddy, get back over there: I heard that they're talking about pinkymint doing a belly dance, and I don't think you'll want to either the discussion or the dance.

"pinkymint...now, who is...OH, I remember," James smiled. "A belly dance, huh? Maybe your mother should join her." James said. "After all," he said with a big smile on his face, "she does have that _**one**_ outfit, and-"

"DADDY!" Kim shouted loud enough to get the other writers' attention. "That's waaaaaaaaaaay TMI!" Kim ran away, blushing, and James returned to the group with a laugh, both inside and out.

'THAT'S what it was,' she thought as she found Ron. He looked at her, perplexed at the frown that had taken over her face.

"Now, I remember," she growled, and Ron winced. He remembered last year….

--

KimRon PosStoppable was sipping her drink when she felt something poke her in the back.

"GF, I'll have to kill you and take those clothes," a **very** familiar voice to her said, and she smiled as she turned.

"Monique, I'm so very happy to finally meet you," she said, and she and Monique exchanged hugs.

"Girl, where did you get that outfit? I am sooooo jellin' over that scarf and necklace, not to mention that dress," Monique grinned when they let go.

"Well," KimRon started, and the two ladies began their discussion of KimRon's outfit.

After a few minutes, Monique turned the conversation up to about 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

"And, girl," Monique leaned in and whispered in a conspiratorial tone, "have you seen the bun collection here tonight?"

"Have I?" KimRon laughed. "I could make a full meal here and have enough left over for multiple takeout dinners.

"Take Dr. Adams, for example," KimRon started. "I especially like the buns on him," she grinned as she looked over at the good Doctor, engaged in a conversation with cpneb.

"He's got some fancy dinner rolls," Monique smiled wickedly, and KimRon laughed. "Unlike his partner in crime with him."

"'neb?" KimRon smiled knowingly. "You're right, GF: he's got supermarket-quality generics: plain dinner rolls. They're good if there's nothing else available, but at least he has a good heart," Monique laughed.

"And, Walter?" KimRon asked, and Monique fanned herself.

"Now, those have to be honey-dipped 'sticky buns,'" Monique announced with authority.

"Why?" KimRon took a sip of from her glass.

"We're talking the perfect dessert, and it's not takeout, either," Monique grinned, "because, once my hands get on those buns, they ain't ever leaving those premises," she giggled, and KimRon, caught in mid-drink, shot liquid from her mouth.

"What about Will?" KimRon pointed at the Global Justice agent, engaged in a rather animated and heated conversation with a security guard.

Monique returned the liquid shooting favor. Her spew shot to the left of KimRon, and Monique's laugh caught Kim's attention.

"Girl, we're talking toasted white bread, FBNTW," Monique laughed, and KimRon looked puzzled.

"'Flat, boring, and no taste whatsoever,'" Monique explained, "not like those poppin' fresh ones over there," she nodded toward another GJ agent, and KimRon giggled.

Kim came up just in time to hear the poppin' fresh comment.

"Those dinner rolls **were** delish, weren't they?" Kim jumped into the conversation with a smile.

Monique and KimRon both looked at her, perplexed, and then both ladies doubled over with laughter.

"Did I _**miss**_ something?" Kim asked in a rather cold tone, and Monique laughed even harder.

"Girl, we weren't talkin' about bread," she explained, and Kim's face went blank for a few seconds before it turned beet red almost instantly.

"Well, when you put it that way, I like my buns 'Polish,'" she smiled, and KimRon and Monique laughed. "But, I could be forced to 'make do' with some 'Star-crossed' ones," Kim added with a twinkle in her eye.

Monique looked at Kim with surprise, and Kim smiled a knowing smile.

Then, the ladies went into a full-bore discussion of the different types of breads on display: a discussion on southern Sourdough versus northern Yeast, and the pros and cons of soft, yet firm, versus hard and doughy.

--

"Well, Slyrr, congratulations are in order," cpneb cornered Slyrr away from Grimm, Rhonda, Jade, and Rueful.

"Thanks, guy, and congratulations to you, as well," Slyrr added, and the gentlemen clicked glasses of water and drank deeply.

"Water, 'neb?" Slyrr grinned. "I figured you to be a juice lush, like someone else we know," he laughed.

"HEY! No 'dissie' my juice piggy!" Wade Load walked up, laughing.

"No offense meant, Dr, Load," Slyrr replied.

"None taken, unless you keep up that Dr. Load line, Slyrr: it's Wade to my friends, all right? Or, do I have t bring out the McHenry on you?" Wade patted the bump in his tuxedo pocket, and Slyrr gulped.

"Very well, Wade," he said, and then he thought to himself: 'no way he has the room wired.'

"Trust me, Slyrr: Brother Wade has the _entire_ world wired," Ron laughed as he walked up. "Congratulations, even though you left me in a void," he smiled, and his eyes flashed blue for a second. As if on cue, the hairs on the back of Slyrr's neck stood up. He could hear his blood flowing in his arteries and veins, and he felt his blood pressure rising quickly.

"I didn't mean to-" and Ron cut him off with a wave.

"'No big, guy: I was just messin' with you," and Slyrr felt his blood pressure drop after it had spiked only moments earlier.

"'neb, have you seen MrDrP recently?" Kim came up, breathless, and with a look of impending doom for someone on her face.

"I saw him a few minutes ago, Kim: why?"

"I need to talk to him," she growled as she stormed off, and Ron wiped his brow.

"What was that all about?" he asked, already knowing but also knowing Kim well enough to know he'd better not say anything to anyone about anything.

'Love sure is complicated,' he smiled inside.

"Dunno," 'neb replied. "She was upset about not getting a dance last year," he added, and Ron nodded. The barn door was open now, so he was safe….

"Tell me about it," Ron laughed. "She didn't stop going on about that for a full week."

"Oh, my," Slyrr laughed.

"I've got dibs on the tickets," Wade laughed, but then he turned to Ron with a worried look on his face. "You don't think she'll really hurt him, will she?"

"Nah: she may try to guilt him or, even worse, hit him with a full-strength 'I'm disappointed' PDP," and the two writers and Wade all cringed: the two writers had both received 40- strength PDPs from Kim, and 'neb had decided that he never wanted another one, ever again.

--

"Hey, whitem!" whitem turned, and his stomach did the Flippies.

Coming toward him were Ace Ian Combat, Akinyi, Crystal, Hope, Jessica, KarenStern05, Kathrine Load, kt, Liz, Monique, Sarah Best, Tara, a very pregnant Tara Wade, and Twila Starla.

"Oh, snap," escaped his lips, and the ladies all giggled they approached their prey.

"Hello, ladies, and what have I done to deserve this much beauty at one time?" whitem asked, producing an exaggerated bow.

"Well, whitem, I still owe you a kiss," Kathrine Load smiled.

"And, you owe me a dance," kt added with a knowing grin.

"And, besides,"KarenStern05 added, "after Crystal told us what you did, we all had to meet a real gentleman and thank him, in the proper and ladylike way," she smiled.

"Did one of you bring an oxygen tank?" whitem asked.

"Why, whitem?" Akinyi asked, knowing what his answer would be.

"After one kiss from any of you, I'll need air; after the second, I'll need the mask ready at all times. You ladies all take my breath away," whitem smiled, and Akinyi leaned over to kt.

"Told you he would say that: 'neb's friends are all filled with canned corn, but they're cute," she whispered, causing kt to giggle as kt handed her a US 10-dollar bill.

"You win, Akinyi," kt laughed softly.

Akinyi put it away and waved her hand: a Wade-bot appeared with an oxygen tank, hose, and mask. He set it up deftly and quickly, and Akinyi smiled as he handed her the mask. "Ladies, let the attacks commence," she smiled wickedly, and whitem went paler than his penname.

"I'm first, dear darling daughter," Tara Load smiled, and kt and Kathrine Load both looked up in surprise.

"Pucker up, big boy," Tara smiled, "'cause this kiss already has the Dr. Wade Agamemnon Load 'seal of approval'" she added, and Tara Load planted one on whitem that made him wonder how he could takeher home with him.

"MOM!" Kathrine yelled with a grin on her face. "Save some for me!"

When whitem found his lips again, he was then immediately assaulted by the younger version, but not before she put his head in her hands and whispered: "Thank you, whitem, for believing in all of us," she said before she attached her lips to his and gave him a tender 12-year-old's 'thank you' kiss.

Whitem took her hand and kissed it. "I do believe in you, Kathrine." He smiled and then added: "by the way, Kat: Happy Birthday," and she literally gleamed as she stepped away.

kt walked up and whispered to whitem: "You _**do**_ know that we were serious, don't you?"

"Yes, and I thank you, but it was better done differently," he smiled, and kt kissed his cheek.

"You're weird, like my AGs 'neb and Star, but I like weird," she whispered, kissed his cheek again, and stepped away with a big blush on her face.

"Happy Birthday to you, as well, kt," whitem called, and kt looked up and grinned as she waved.

Crystal stepped forward, smiling through her tears.

"whitem, you don't know how much I adored you before, and when you forgave me…well," Crystal's tears flowed even harder, "I didn't know what I was going to do, and you were such a gentleman, and then I met you, and.." she fell into whitem, sobbing and soaking his shoulder.

Whitem stood, surprised at Crystal's outburst, and looked up to see Tara, Hope, and Jessica all crying tears of happiness: he knew that they were happy tears by the massive smiles on their faces.

"You made this a night to remember for me, being with Sir Sebastian and with no strings or guilt over my own stupidity," she whispered into his ear, and then she pulled back to face whitem. "It's been my dream come true, kinda like I dreamed that Kim's dates with Ron would be like. We girls can't all find a 'Ron in shining armor,'" she grinned, "but, thanks to you, I have a 'whitem in shining armor,'" she kissed his cheek and ran back to the group.

"whitem," Tara stepped forward, and whitem gulped: she hadn't spoken much to him since his 'Tarrible' story. "Guy, for what you did for Crys, I'll work with you on any story, anytime, anywhere," she grinned as she reached up and took his head between her hands, then reached down and grabbed the oxygen mask and placed it on his face. "Take some deep breaths, guy, 'cause when I'm through with you, you're gonna need all the air you can get," she grinned evilly, and whitem grinned, gulped, and took several deep breaths, then removed the mask….

--

"What are they doing to whitem?" Cajunbear73 pointed at the crowd of young ladies surrounding him, and the men saw whitem remove what looked like an oxygen mask from his face.

"I'm not sure, but I think he's trying to set a new Lowardian invasion record," cpneb laughed, and he was summarily covered in liquids.

James Possible finally got his breath back after laughing at the doused 'neb, and he scanned the room. "Now, _that_ doesn't look promising," James Possible stated as he saw his daughter pulling MrDrP's arm and guiding him to an empty table away from everyone else.

--

"We so need to talk," she tapped him on the shoulder, and MrDrP turned and faced smiling emerald eyes.

"Uh, sure, Kim," he replied, unsure of what the teen hero had on her mind as she led him away from the crowd to a table away from everyone.

"You're not trying to get away without giving me a dance this year, are you?" she asked when they sat down.

"What do you mean?" He tried to be light, but she seemed upset for some reason.

"Hey, I know you're busy with BabyDrP: I _**am**_ a babysitter, after all," she laughed, "but I missed getting a dance last year, and I swore I'd not miss out this year,"

"Why are you so set on dancing with me? Ron's the bon-diggity dancer," MrDrP said, eliciting a grin from Kim.

"I just wanted you to know...heck, I don't even know what to call you," she laughed. "I can't call you Dad, and I can't call you MrDrP: that would be waaaay too awkweird," she said with a grin.

"Call me anything you want: just don't call me a cab," MrDrP suggested.

Kim groaned. "You're as bad as Ron; no, you're worse," she said with a smirk. "Look," she continued, shifting gears, "I know how you feel about me, and I feel the same way about you," Kim began, and she smiled. "You're the extra father; heck, you're the _father_ that _**every**_ girl dreams of having, and I trust you implicitly," she stated with the warmth of a smile that she dreamt of giving him last year. "A few years ago, when I was younger, I would have been really, really mad that I missed you last year, but I'm older now, and I've been through a lot more since then."

Kim smiled, but MrDrP could see the sadness of the Diablos and Lowardian sitches in the back of her eyes. He struggled for a few moments with his thoughts, and then he spoke: "Kim, I -," he started, and she held up her hand to stop him.

"Ever time you touch the keys, MrDrP, I know how much you truly care for Ron and me; geez," she laughed, "Even Ron made the comment to me the other day that he thought he was going to have to fight you for me."

"Never," MrDrP stated categorically, and Kim leaned forward and smiled.

"I know, and so does he: that's one reason I love you, sir," and Kim giggled as MrDrP winced.

"I know I'm old, but I'm not _**that**_ old …" he laughed.

"Sorry: my parents taught me to be polite, to say 'sir' and 'ma'am'," she explained. "I just wanted to say 'thank you' for everything you've done for me, and I wanted you to know how much I care about you." She reached over, took his hand, and squeezed it. "From a friend who cares," and he saw tears of happiness form from Kim's eyes. "I can't wait for the next one: I love what you're doing in it," she grinned.

He reached in and pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her. He sat quietly as she dabbed at her tears until they were gone.

"Always the gentleman," she smiled, and she stood up.

MrDrP shrugged, but then furrowed his brow. "How do you know about the next story? I just started plotting it last week."

She smiled her patented smile: "I'm _**full**_ of surprises, MrDrP. Remember, I still want that dance," she smiled, turned and walked away. Then she stopped, turned back to face him, reached down into her purse, and walked back to him, smiling as she placed what she had removed from her purse into his hand without saying a word. Then, she turned and walked away.

He looked down into his hand, and saw a lipstick container. The label on it was "Fiery Red, by WLLC," and he stared at it for a moment before he had a brain unfreeze: 'It's not possible,' he thought as he removed the top and twisted the container, and a thin red laser beam came out.

He then quickly twisted the container, replaced the top, and grinned. "I should have known," he said to himself as he looked up and saw her watching him with a satisfied smirk on her face. Then, she turned and walked away, leaving MrDrP smiling and holding the laser lipstick. 'Better not let MrsDrP or BabyDrP get a hold of this,' he thought to himself as he placed the container into his pocket with his handkerchief.

--

"kt, remember what we talked about before tonight's show?" Akinyi whispered to her, and she nodded.

"Methinks we have been bamboozled," she stated, and kt giggled.

"Why do you think that?" kt asked.

"Our dreams are waaay too similar to be coincidental, and we're not the only ones who had them," Akinyi said as they watched whitem, literally, come up for air.

"Akinyi!" Ace Ian Combat came up and hugged her. "Congratulations, BYW," and Ace curtsied, drawing a laugh from Akinyi.

"Please: I just got lucky," she replied.

"Don't think so, girl," Twila Starla replied. "These don't come with luck, unless you're me," she added.

"Twila!" She turned and laughed as she saw kt adopting a KP pose, complete with hands on hips. She would have pulled it off, too, if not for the fact that she was wearing the ball gown.

"Lovin' the gown, KT: where did you find it?" Twila asked.

"On the Web, of all places," kt replied, pleased that someone had asked about her dress besides her Father and AGs.

"Congratulations, by the way," kt added, and Twila blushed.

"Me? Look at you and your Dad: two awards, right out of the gate," Twila replied. "How is it, writing with your dad? I can't picture my dad and me writing KP fanfics together."

"Me, either," Akinyi nodded. "Then again, my dad's not as strange or weird as 'neb," she laughed.

"It's fun," kt said. "I actually like spending time with him. When we both work on a story, I'm usually sitting on his knee and we switch off typing sentences or paragraphs while one edits or reads for flow. We have it down to quite the routine. The best part is trading off on ideas and character emotions when we're writing. For being older than Neb by almost a year, he can think and feel Kim and Ron deeper than anyone I know who writes them, but it's Dr. Anne Possible that he knows the best because she is so like my Mom. Plus, he doesn't treat me like a 12-year-old, especially when the reviewers keep saying I have an 'old soul,'" she continued, and Ace laughed. "It's the two AGs I have to watch out for," kt added with a grin..

"AGs?" Ace asked.

"'Adopted godfathers,'" kt explained: "'neb and Star-Eva01: they keep me going, but don't tell any of them, either, or they'll get bigger heads," she laughed. "Besides, if Dad's head gets any bigger after tonight, he won't be able to wear his hat," kt smiled, and Ace and Akinyi laughed.

"Is 'neb _really_ as old as he says he is?" Twila asked. "Until I met him, there were times I thought that he had to be a totally-crazed 20-something male like some writers we know."

"He has _kids_ almost _twice_ as old as you, Twila," kt replied, "and he told me he had his high-school letter sweater from _1970 _from back in the daywhen he lettered, his high school sophomore year," she laughed when Twila's jaw hit the floor just as Joss and Sarah came over.

"Now, _**THAT'S**_ old," she gasped, and the ladies all laughed.

"If I didn't know them," kt smiled as she looked at the gathering of gentlemen, "I'd be worried that **that** was a group of dirty old men."

"Now, you know better, kt," Sarah chided her with a smirk, "they're not _**old**_," and the laughter from the literally shook the room.

"Who would have thought that those young ladies could generate that much sound?" CajunBear73 asked, and ja and 'neb's hands both shot up, followed quickly by Star-Eva01's.

"kt, would you and Akinyi be interested in helping me with something?" Sarah asked, and kt and Akinyi both nodded. Joss and Sarah stepped from the group for a few moments, and Twila could see Joss talking and smiling, and then she saw the foursome head into the main room, all laughing.

"This could be dangerous," Twila commented to Ace, and she nodded.

"Or, eviler," Ace smiled.

"More evil," Twila added.

"The evillest," Ace countered, and the two ladies laughed.

--

CaptainKodak1 had not been paying attention, but he suddenly realized that the ambient noise level had dropped significantly in the lobby. He looked around, and only he, MrDrP, Star-Eva01, ja, and cpneb were still in the lobby.

"Shouldn't we go back in?" he asked, and he caught a wink from ja to 'neb.

"Let's go," 'neb suggested, and the group all headed for the massive double door main entrance to the room.

The doors opened about 10 paces before ja reached them, and he smoothly stepped to one side. The doors swung outward to open, and CaptainKodak1 noticed that ja was smiling a really, really big smile; he saw why when he looked into the room:

The room had been transformed into a Mousy fairyland, complete with twinkling lights suspended from the ceiling as the primary light source for the room, other than small individual lamps at each table. He could see the band set up in front of the stage, and the pit looked to be elevated to about halfway to stage level.

But, that wasn't what worried him: it was the soldiers, standing in front of him, with crossed swords.

Well, not soldiers, he realized: they were musicians, holding long horns, and he focused:

There were 12 members of the Middleton High School marching band, all in full uniform, and they were all holding herald trumpets.

Then, they lifted the instruments to their lips, and they began to play...

'Oh, snap,' the Captain thought as the audience stood.

When the fanfare was finished, he recognized the voices over the sound system.

"My Lords and Ladies," came from Akinyi.

"And, those of you not sitting on a cushion," Pharaoh Rutin Tutin called out from the table, and the audience laughed as he was suddenly silenced by Sarah.

"Why do you keep doing that?" pinkymint asked when he came up for air with a big smile. "Making with the bad jokes," she clarified her question, and he grinned even bigger.

"Because of what she does whenever I do," he replied with a knowing smile, and Sarah groaned.

"Oy," Sarah replied in her best mad-scientist voice, "I've created a monstah," and Pharaoh returned the favor.

"For the very first time, tonight," kt announced, and giggles were heard in the background, "I bring you this year's Best Writer award winner and tonight's only four-time Fannie Award winner in 2007:

"CaptainKodak1!"

He smiled, but then he winced when Megs raised her baton, and the orchestra began to play "Hail to the Chief."

He turned and grinned at cpneb.

"This is your fault," CaptainKodak1 whispered.

"Moi?" 'neb attempted, unsuccessfully, to look innocent: the mile-wide grin gave it away.

"Yeah, you," CaptainKodak1 laughed, and he though, 'you're about as innocent and as safe as a tray of PFP with a gallon of French-vanilla ice cream next to it.'

"Thank you," was the Captain's mouthed reply as he turned and began to walk under the cover of herald trumpets, shake hands with his fellow writers, and accept congratulations as he headed for the table.

**--**

**Author's afterward:**

We have winners, but there are no losers, because the nominees all are wonderful additions to the KP Multi-verse.

The Fannies are over, let the party begin!

--

Next, on _**Road Trip:**_

**P2C3: Making music, the new, old way**

--

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting all of us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.


	14. P2C3: Making music, the new, old way

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

--

**A/N Forward: **

It's over, but it's just beginning

--

**P2, C3: Making music, the new, old way**

--

Mags was smiling all the way through Ran Hakubi's arrangement.

'It's a great piece, and it's so perfect, too,' she said as the last group of actors came onto the stage.

She still could not believe what had happened over the past few weeks:

She had been sitting at home, planning a nice, relaxing dinner of sushi when her past came back to haunt her, with a vengeance: 'neb had called, and he wanted her to pull together a group of musicians to cross into a new heretofore-unknown dimension (or, at least, unknown to most, if not all, people) and play at a very special awards ceremony called, of all things, the 'Fannies.' After Mags quit choking with laughter, 'neb told her what the awards were for: that was when she found out that 'neb had been writing fanfiction, and that he was, of all things, one of her favorite writers; 'that didn't surprise me, after I thought about it for a bit: he always was creative and more than a bit mischievous, in his own, unique, way.'

She called musicians that she'd worked with in the past, and they all jumped that the opportunity. They were all fans of the show, and several of them enjoyed reading fanfiction, so they knew about the Fannies. It was easy for her to find a group of instrumentalists and chorus members, and she had the entire group identified by the end of the day.

Arrangements were made, and they all showed up at LAX at a private hanger. They were all standing in the waiting room, talking and looking out into the huge hanger proper, when they heard the roar of approaching jet engines. When the jet turned into the hanger and they all got a good look at it, they all stared at the registration:

_**Blaze**_**IT**! **S&R **graced the tail.

"Snake muffins: it can't be real," came from a lady in the background, and the group chuckled as the jet pulled to a stop.

The access doors to the hanger slammed open as the group all ran out to meet the jet while the ground crew pushed the stairs to the doorway on the jet.

The door opened, and a figure stepped into the doorway, still in shadow.

"Good afternoon, everyone," the clipped voice came through the air, and she stepped onto the platform.

"I'm Elizabeth Director-Possible, head of Global Justice," she started.

"Oh my God, they're real," Paul Dragon, Mags' concertmaster and good friend of several years let loose a stage whisper, and Betty looked down and grinned.

"I should hope so: I haven't had any surgery, and the twins were certainly happy enough," she replied dryly, and then she realized what he was talking about after the crowd roared with laughter.

"Oops," she grinned, and Mags knew she wasn't in Kansas anymore….

Betty came down the steps and headed directly for Mags.

"Ms. B?" she extended her hand. "I'm happy to meet you, finally, and I'm very happy about the fact that you're coming back with us."

"Meet me?" Mags squeaked and took her hand. "You're the Director, and you're happy to meet _**me**_?"

"Well," Betty laughed, "we've heard enough about you from 'neb that we were beginning to think he made you up," she smiled as she shook hands with the woman that ''neb had run on and on about.

'She must be really special if 'neb thinks that highly of her,' Betty thought as Mags introduced Betty to the now-totally-red Paul Dragon and took her around to meet the 'travel squad.'

Mags and her musicians then all boarded the _**Blaze**_**IT**! jet, had their equipment all loaded and stored properly and safely, taxied and took off with little fanfare and climbed for several minutes before turning east and leveling off. After about 10 minutes, the announcement came:

"We're coming up on transition: make sure you're strapped in tight," a voice came over the PA system, and everyone tightened their seat belts another notch.

"Coming up on it in 3...2...1...transition," and they flew through something that almost turned their stomachs inside out for a lifetime and a moment, and they came out to clear skies and white-capped mountains.

"Welcome to the Fannies, everyone: we're coming in to Middleton airspace.

"Shiznekkin," came from the short blonde string bass section leader. "That was incredible! I've never felt that before."

"Gee, Gail, get a 'clue bee,'" the willowy French horn section leader snarked, and the jet broke up in waves of laughter.

"They are all fans," Will mused as he leaned over and pinched Lindsey just before she clicked the microphone to contact MIA-T1: the Middleton International Airport's Tower-1.

'Being greeted by Betty was amazing: being greeted by Dr. Wade Load was a real trip,' Mags grinned as they rode into town. 'He so reminds me of that young 'neb I remember,' she thought with a smile when she shook his hand as she stepped off the plane. Meeting the pilots, Will Du and Lindsey Peterson was a wonder: she could have died when she actually met Will. 'He's not as stuck up anymore; I guess Lindsey's really gotten a-hold of him,' she laughed inside when she shook his hand.

The trip to the performing hall was impressive in the MumVees, and the hall itself was a surprise: she'd never seen it on the show, so she had no idea of what to expect. It was beautiful, and the acoustics were equally wonderful. The group loved the green room, and they all laughed when they found that they had been stocked with treats: sparkling grape juice, both red and white; grapes of all sizes and colors, and cheeses from all over the world.

"Gee," Paul Dragon commented, "I wonder whose idea the cheeses was," and the entire group laughed as they all said, in concert:

"_**RUFUS**_!"

The first rehearsals went well, and then Captain IT and his group showed up. Megs let them set up, and then they all rehearsed together.

'That was a nice surprise: I was afraid that 'neb had set me up with a musician-wanna-be, but he and his group know their licks,' she had thought in the rehearsal.

They finished the rehearsal, and they all retired back to the hotel for the rest of the afternoon. Some of the chorus and orchestra members decided to go out and explore the area, but Mags stayed in her room: she needed to go over the score for the finale before the 10AM rehearsal the next day.

She walked into the hotel gift shop that evening before dinner and stopped dead in her tracks.

"It can't be," she said to herself, and he turned and smiled when he saw her.

"Mags," he stepped forward and extended his hand, "Commander Charles Percival Adams, Global Justice. I'm a big fan, ever since 'neb sent me some of your recordings. I especially loved what you did in your performance of the Brahms," he smiled, and Mags made a mental note to herself to get back at 'neb for setting her up.

"Dr. Adams," she shook his hand. "Thank you, but I'm gonna have to get back at 'neb for not warning me about you: I thought you were him."

"I know," he laughed. "That's a common mistake, we've learned. Imagine my surprise when I first met him!

"I told him that he must be my twin brother from another mother," Charles grinned, and Mags grinned and groaned.

"Do you have dinner plans?" 'Charles changes conversational directions faster than 'Flight of the Bumblebee,' Mags thought. "I know a very nice place here where the jambalaya is hot, and the music is hotter," he continued with a grin.

"Oh, really?" Mags smirked. "And, Doctor, let me guess: your kitchen?"

"Guilty as charged, Mags," he laughed, and she extended her hand.

"'Lead on, McDuff,'" she laughed. 'So much for the score study: I'll get to it after dinner.'

--

She opened the door to her hotel room and stared at the score on the table and then the clock on the nightstand:

3:10 AM.

"It's can't be that late!" she exclaimed, and the clock clicked back to show 11:47 PM.

"Good evening, Mags," Dr. Load's voice came from the clock, and Mags groaned. "I couldn't resist the clock, though: you can take it back with you if you want: my gift, to you, a small token of my appreciation for all you've done so far.

"I hope you had a fun evening," he chuckled, and Mags added Dr. Load's name to the list to get back at, "and I look forward to meeting you for breakfast in the morning.

"I'll even bring the 'Sweet Tea," he laughed, and the connected dropped.

"_**AAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH**_!" she groaned. 'neb was soooo gonna get it when she finally caught up with him.

--

The orchestra and the pit choir were just finishing up tuning and warming up when the main doors to the center opened and a small group of individuals came in, attempting to be silent.

It didn't work, and the musicians all, to a person, became sound-absorbent as the group walked to the front of the auditorium.

Mags stepped out of the pit and walked toward the entourage.

The auburn-haired young woman smiled. "Mags, I've heard a lot about you. I'm Kim-" and the entire pit sounded out:

"We know who you are, KP," followed by waves of laughter and a laughing frown on Kim's face.

"Frackle! I can't introduce myself to anybody, anymore," Kim groused and grinned at the same time.

Mags hugged the young woman and kissed her cheek. "That's all right, Kim: the price of fame, and not even from appearing on the cover of 'Humans' magazine, either," Mags smiled, and she then stepped over to the blonde young man. "Ronald Stoppable: an honor, sir: you remind me of the younger of my older brothers, Peter," she gave Ron a surprising hug and a quick peck on the cheek, and her cheeks were immediately assaulted by a small smooth-skinned creature.

"Rufus, how could I forget you?" Mags kissed the naked mole rat on the top of his heard, and Rufus fell off of Mags' shoulder onto the floor with his feet straight up in the air and a huge smile on his face; all of his theatrics were accompanied by loads of laughter.

"You've killed Rufus!" Paul shouted out.

"Yea, but 'what a way to go,'" Wade Load laughed as he walked up behind Ron, holding the hand of one Jocelyn Possible.

"Kim, can we run through your segment?" Mags asked, and Kim nodded and flipped onto the stage.

"Wow, she really _**can**_ do anything," Paul commented, and Ron laughed.

"Trust me, Paul: she is, indeed, 'all that,'" he laughed as Kim got into position and waited for her cue from Mags.

--

When they finished, Kim stepped to the front of the stage, tears on her face.

"Where are you, Ran?" she called out. "Are you back there?" She called to the back of the auditorium.

"Yes, Kim, I'm here, and it was beautiful," Ran Hakibi replied as he stood and walked to the front of the auditorium. Kim bounded off the stage and bolted toward Ran, slamming into him and almost knocking him over.

"That was wonderful, Ran! It sooo fits what I wanted to say this year," Kim kissed Ran's cheek.

"Thank you, Kim, but it wasn't all me."

"Who else, then?" She asked

"I'm afraid it was me," the tenor-baritone voice came from the side of the auditorium, and cpneb came walking down the side aisle.

"THERE YOU ARE!" Mags shouted and ran past Kim and Ran and slammed into cpneb.

"Hi, Mags: long time, 'no tsetse fly'," cpneb joked, but that was as far as he got as Mags assaulted him, almost squeezing all of his air out.

"Mags," he wheezed.

"Mags," he forced air out in a burst.

"Breathing _**is**_ not optional, dear,"' neb was finally able to get out, and Mags rapped the side of 'neb's head with the hard end of her baton.

"OWW! What was that for?" he asked, and she grinned.

"3:10 AM," she replied, and the orchestra, chorus, visitors, and cast members all broke out laughing.

"We'll talk...later," she whispered and brushed her lips quickly against his before she went back to the pit, getting a knowing grin from Paul and a shocked look on 'neb's face.

'neb tasted salt, and realized that Mags had been crying. 'I guess that explains the soggy shirt shoulder,' he smiled as he watched her climbed over the pit railing. 'And, she's as limber as she was, back when she was 10,' he grinned when she turned and blew him a kiss before facing back to the orchestra and going into a tirade about the winds overbalancing the strings in the second chorus.

--

'I managed to avoid talking to Paul about 'neb the rest of the day, and all of the rest of the time we were here: both times. But, I guess I can't avoid him any longer," Mags thought as she closed the music of the Third Annual Fannies with a flourish. The cast on stage all stepped forward and applauded the orchestra and chorus, and Mags waved them to their feet. The audience remaining swelled its applause, and Mags turned and bowed to the audience.

She turned and, with a grin, pointed to Captain IT:

_**BEEP-BEEP-be-DEEP**_! came from the electric bass, and the crowded cheered as the Captain's band kicked off the show's theme song.

When they finished, and the whoops and cheers died down, Mags spoke.

"Thanks, everyone, for a wonderful performance. We've got to clear out for about 30 minutes to the green room while they reposition the stage for the after-party, so pack up and go have some more cheese," she laughed. The chorus applauded the orchestra and vice-versa as they all headed out of the pit, leaving Paul, Mags, Gail Hiriwitz (the short, blonde string bass section leader, and Patricia Matindic (the willowy brunette French Horn section leader) behind in the pit.

"I'm outnumbered," Paul whined after everyone left, and the ladies laughed at him.

"OK, Mags: spill," Patricia came to the front of the orchestra, and Gail lifted her string bass over the railing and placed it outside the pit area for her stand partner to take to the storage area for safe-keeping.

"Spill what?" Mags asked, and Paul snorted.

"'neb, Mags: you know you want to tell us everything," he laughed, and she sighed.

"There's not much to tell, Paul:

"'neb was one of my mom's violin students when he was in elementary, Jr. High, and the first year of High School before my parents got divorced and I went to live with my Mom in Illinois."

"That's not all, and you know it," Gail laughed as she sat on the rail above the pit. "He gives you a look, and you give him a look: both looks say that there's a lot more than meets the eye."

"Well, maybe from me, but no from 'neb," Mags replied with more than a touch of sadness in her voice, and Patricia caught it.

"Do you have a thing for 'neb, Mags?" Patricia asked with a knowing smile, and Mags' blush gave her away.

"Well, I did," she explained to the laughing herd, "back when I was 9, and he was 13. He was something I'd never experienced: an older boy who was nice to me. He was always nice to me: even back when I was 6 and he was 10, he was nice to me, and I missed that after I moved."

Mags looked over at 'neb and one of the cast members talking, a young woman: 'she must be Sarah,' she thought, 'judging by the way they're talking.'

"I missed him being nice to me, and I never realized how much until I came back to my home town to play in a concert with the local symphony. My dad never mentioned to me that he had moved back to the town, and I didn't find out until I walked onto the stage and saw him sitting in the assistant concertmaster's chair, a huge grin on his face.

"I almost dropped my Strad," Mags laughed, "when I realized he was there, and he smiled so big! After the rehearsal, he gave me a big hug and told me he was sorry he hadn't been able to say goodbye to me before I left; my heart sang, and I just melted like the 10-year-old all over again," she added.

"Did anything happen?" Gail asked with a smile on her face, and Mags shook her head 'no.'

"He was a gentleman, even back then. He kissed my cheek, but only after he asked if he could. He asked me if I was seeing anyone, and when I told him no, he told me it was their loss. He offered me a cup of coffee, and I'm not sure which part of my body would have responded if he had offered me any more than that.

"I came back a few years later to play another concert, and I found out that he had gotten married and picked up an instant family: a lovely wife and two beautiful blond-haired kids, 'looking just like me,' he joked, and something inside of me died, because I never considered pushing him for anything more than the coffee.

"I wished him good luck, but my heart wasn't in the rehearsal that night, and I went back to my room and cried like I was 10, once again, when Mom told me we were leaving, and I have no idea why I cried."

"You never told him?" Patricia asked, and Mags shook her head 'no.'

"What would I tell him, Pat? I never had the idea of what to tell him," she replied with a grin that was tinged with more than a bit of sadness as she watched 'neb and Sarah leave the hall, Sarah pulling herself closer to 'neb and both of them laughing.

"Does he still play?" Paul asked.

"I don't know," Mags replied, and she stared at her concertmaster with the evil gleam in his eyes.

"Well, we'll just have to find out, won't we?" he asked with a conspiratorial tone that would have made Shego proud.

"Are you up to a throwdown, Mags?" Paul asked, and Mags grinned an evil grin.

"Bring it on, Paulie," she smiled: "I've got my travel violin with me, and I'm ready to get 'Bach' in the saddle, again," she laughed, and the foursome sat quietly as they watched a young writer walk around the hall, smiling and talking to herself.

'She reminds me a little of me, a long, long time ago: especially when I saw that smile of hers when she saw 'neb,' Mags laughed inside. 'I'll bet she doesn't even realize we're in here.'

The rest of the orchestra had no idea why the foursome was laughing so hard when they came back from the Green room and Rufus' latest Gorgonzola-fest tore-enter the new pit.

--

**Author's afterward:**

We have winners, and it looks like they all won't be writers this year... LOL. The KP Multi-verse appears to be getting a bit more interesting...

And, the party's just beginning!

--

Next, on _**Road Trip:**_

**P2C4: Dancing, Playing, and Singing - I**

--

07/04/2008

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting all of us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.


	15. P2C4: Dancing, Playing, and Singing I

Road Trip

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

--

**A/N Forward: **

It's over, but it's just beginning

--

**P2, C4: Dancing, Playing, and Singing - I**

--

Dr. Anne Possible came into the hall on the arm of her husband Dr. James Timothy Possible, and she laughed as they walked under the crossed herald trumpets after being announced to applause and cheers.

She was happy, and she was smiling, but her mind wasn't here: it was with their newest arrivals, the two of them having just now made it home from the hospital only three weeks before. She had a sitter and nurse both in their newly-completed rebuilt home, one that they had decided would be 100 per cent accessible, "just in case," she had told James, and he had agreed. She had drawn the line, however, at the idea for the pole in their bedroom in lieu of the private elevator. "I don't care if it is anti-gravity, James, I'm not letting you bring anti-matter into the house," she had put her foot down, and he had reluctantly agreed.

'The making up part was fun, though,' she giggled, and James turned and looked at her quizzically. She simply smiled.

She had been treated like a queen by her husband and all of the writers here but, deep down, she still felt like she was as big as she had been while she carried the 'Tweebs, 2.0', as James had called them in one fit of fear.

'I know I'm not a bad mother, but should I have come tonight?' was what kept going through her mind, even while she was laughing and talking and smiling with jakt, MrDrP, Star-Eva01, and cpneb, among others. She especially liked meeting the older Wade Load, from 2030, had a wonderful talk with Tara Bluem Load, his wife who was expecting twins of her own, and had a delightful time watching and listening to Kathrine Elizabeth Load drive her parents crazy

"Kathrine is Kim, Wade, Jim, Tim, Ron, and Tara, all rolled together into one pretty little package: Wade is going to be in sooo much trouble in about six months," Anne giggled inside.

Anne and Tara laughed and joked about the rumors of 'something in the water' in Middleton, all coming from multiple dimensions.

"Were you worried about the dimensional trip, Tara?" Anne asked, both as a mother and a doctor.

"We were, Anne," Tara smiled, rubbing her stomach, "but Wade had the readings from previous crossings to analyze. From them, he created several simulations, both for Kat and for me, with my medical sitch, and he ran them constantly until he was 100 per cent certain that nothing would go wrong."

"More like 110 per cent certain," Kat interjected, and Anne laughed.

"Anne, you know me…well, you know one of me," Wade laughed. "After taking care of Kim, can you imagine that I would ever do anything that would be dangerous for my wife," he wrapped his arm around Tara's waist, "my daughter," he winked at Kat, "or, especially, my own unborn children?"

Anne took barely a moment to answer Wade's question with a kiss on the cheek, and Wade smiled as Tara laughed at him.

"You're a good man, Dr Load, no matter the dimension," Anne whispered, and Wade mouthed 'thank you.'

"Are you all right, Anne?" James asked as he held her chair out, and she smiled as she sat, coming back from her thoughts.

"I'm fine, James."

"Are you tired? We can go home now, if you're tired, Anne," James stood next to her, and she could see the worry on his face.

"It's all right, James," she repeated and motioned for him to sit, and he complied with a grin.

"What's wrong?"

"James, I just gave birth to two more children a few weeks ago: can I not answer _**every**_ question, even if it's just for tonight?" she snapped, and James nodded.

Her husband's acceptance of her snapping at him brought tears to Anne's eyes.

James immediately handed her his handkerchief.

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have snapped at you, but everyone has been so nice to me, all night, telling me how beautiful I am, and I feel like a cow," Anne wiped her face, and James smiled.

"Well, Anne, my love, I'm just going to have to do something about that before it 'grinds your beans,'" he laughed, got up, and waved Ron from where he was standing to have Ron follow him. The two of them headed to the orchestra, where James waited until a lull before tapping Mags on the shoulder. She turned, faux-swooned, and laughed as James kissed her cheek. James then began to talk animatedly, motioning with his hands and pointing back at Anne. Anne saw Ron laugh hard, and he nodded vigorously. Ron then took off and headed for a group of male writers ('the DOMs,' James had laughed when he described the group to Anne) while Mags motioned to Captain IT to come down.

Anne saw Captain IT bow when he was introduced to James, and she saw James laugh in reply. James then turned and began speaking to Gene Stoppable, who had gotten up from where he and Jean were sitting and make his way down to James. Anne could see both of them smiling and nodding their heads as they seemed to agree on something.

Anne felt her purse vibrate, and she pulled out her Blueberry.

AJ, wht r those 2 up 2??...JA.

Anne grinned and replied:

No klu, JA: be afraid, be verrrry afraid. LOL...AJ

Anne looked up from the text message in time to see that Ron had made it back and that he had brought Kimmie back with him. As Kimmie stood and listened to Gene and her father talk, she grew a big grin on her face, hugged her dad and Gene, nodded vigorously, and gave Gene a peck on the cheek before she and Ron headed off.

'Just what _are_ they up to?' Anne asked herself.

--

Twila Starla was still more than a bit in shock, and Darth Comrade, her date, grinned.

"You deserve it, Twila," he told her for the 40th time, and she still grinned.

"Miss Starla?" The voice was all-too-familiar and surprising at the same time, and Twila turned her head and generated the biggest grin she had had in her entire life.

"Miss Starla, I'm Ron Stoppable," Ron smiled and offered his hand. Twila took it as she stood, and Ron bent over and brushed his lips to it. "Thank you so very much for coming, and congratulations on your win tonight."

"Mr. Comrade," Darth was expecting her, but the softness of the voice still shocked him as he turned his head from watching Twila and looked up into emeralds, shining down on him.

"I'm Kim Possible," she grinned: she had finally gotten to introduce herself, for once.

Darth quickly stood and offered his hand, gently squeezing the hand of the world-saving young woman. "Miss Possible, it's an honor to meet you face-to-face. I'm a huge fan."

"And, a writer as well, if I'm not mistaken," she smiled as she replied, and Darth knew in an instant why Ron was in love with this young woman and why he loved the show so much: he could feel the magic that was Kim pull at him. "Thank you, from me especially, for helping to keep us going."

Darth grinned: he had the perfect reply.

"It is my honor to be one of those here who carries your story forward, Miss Possible," he replied, and Ron laughed while Kim blushed.

"So, Twila, how did you come up with this story idea?" Ron asked as he pulled up a chair for Kim, and waited for Darth to hold the chair for Twila and sit himself before sitting, and Twila smiled and began to talk.

--

"Are you having fun, Bego?" CajunBear73 asked the young 'woman' on his arm, and Bego turned her head to him and smiled, taking a deep breath before speaking.

"Thank you for asking, CajunBear73: I am, indeed, enjoying myself, and I do not understand why. We aren't doing anything lively, exciting, or dangerous, so what is the difference?"

"Well, for me, dear lady, it is the company," and Bego felt something strange inside.

--

Karenstern01 declined Felix's offer to ride on his lap, and Felix grinned.

"I understand, karenstern01," Felix grinned and took her hand as they re-entered the hall.

"Wow," she whispered after they were announced, and the applause died down after they crossed underneath the trumpets.

"Z really knows how to throw a ceremony," Felix laughed, "and leave it to Wade to 'kick it up a notch, or 10," he laughed as they were directed to their table by a Wadebot.

Felix held out her chair, and Karenstern01 smiled as she sat.

'He's such a gentleman,' she thought as he moved next to her.

'I sure hope that some guy has her heart; if he doesn't. He's an idiot,' he thought.

--

The music started, and guests went to the dance floor.

'neb used the music to come in the front, where he met Akinyi, just inside the door.

"Thanks, 'neb: I wasn't sure if I wanted to get the full fanfare treatment," she said as she took his offered arm.

"If anyone deserves it, it's you, Akinyi."

"No, it should have been you under those 'golden arches' a-blarin,'" she laughed.

"Congratulations on your win, by the way, if I haven't told you before," 'neb smiled, and Akinyi blushed.

"Thank you, and double right back at'cha," she grinned, and 'neb smiled and nodded as the Wadebot led them to a table.

"Hey, I organized it, I get to make some decisions about who I get to harass first," Wade laughed as he stood and hugged Akinyi.

"How'ya doing, 'neb?" Joss asked as she came around and hugged cpneb.

"Fine, now, Joss, and thanks for asking," he grinned.

"Congratulations," she pecked his cheek.

"We'll take it next year, Joss: I promise."

"'neb, it's all right: the ride has been wonderful, and I look forward to it continuing," she smiled up at him, her eyes only slightly moist.

"Thank you, Miss Possible," he grinned and kissed her forehead.

--

"That's disgusting," Grimm Probable groused, and Jade laughed at him.

"What?" Rhonda asked, and Grimm gestured towards cpneb and Joss.

"Did we have to sit here, in full view of the love-fest?" he asked.

"I think somebody's jellin'," Jade laughed, and Slyrr just sat back and watched Grimm's reaction.

It was what he expected:

"I am NOT jellin'!" Grimm almost shouted and looked around. "I am NOT!"

"Sure, Grimmy," Rhonda purred, and Jade grinned as she watched Grimm's demeanor change drastically as Rhonda both got under his skin and his attention at the same time.

The music started, and Rhonda stood up and held out her hand. "C'mon, Grimm, let's dance."

"Rhonda! You know I don't like to dance."

"All right," she withdrew her hand and smiled evilly. "I'll find someone else, then," and she walked straight over to cpneb.

"Care to dance?" she asked, fluttering her eyelashes, and Joss laughed.

"Better go, 'neb, before she changes her mind," Joss added as Rhonda pulled 'neb onto the dance floor, and they began to dance.

"I know that I'm not your first choice, Rhonda, so what's wrong: Is Grimm being a gloomy Gus?" he asked as they danced, and Rhonda scrunched her face.

"He makes me soooooo mad sometimes, I could just scream!" She replied, loud enough so she could be heard by 'neb above the music.

'neb grinned 'Oh, to be that young, again,' he thought. "So, do you like him, or do you like-like him?" he asked, and Rhonda laughed.

"'neb, if you knew what I sometimes thought of doing with Grimmy, _**you'd**_ blush," she grinned, and 'neb laughed. "Does that answer your question?"

'neb waved, Mags caught the cue, and the music bridged to a slow dance.

"This should get his attention," he grinned as he took her hands and pulled her closer.

"_**That**_ should get Grimm's attention, for sure," Joss laughed. She looked over Akinyi's shoulder. "GF: 'Grim' character at six o'clock.

Akinyi felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned to see a smiling Grimm.

"Miss Akinyi, would you care to dance?"

"Why certainly, sir," she smiled, took his offered hand, and the twosome took to the dance floor.

"So, what's your sitch, Grimmy?" Akinyi smiled as they began to dance.

"Whatever do you mean, Miss Akinyi?" He replied innocently.

She grinned. "I saw Rhonda ask 'neb to dance, and I know you like-like her, so I ask again: what's the sitch?"

"The 'sitch,' as you put it, is that I don't know what to tell Rhonda." 'Why am I admitting this to this stranger?' he asked himself. 'Perhaps, it's because I saw the BE4000s she and kt were carrying,' he smiled inside.

"Tell her the truth, Grimm: she's a big girl, and I'm sure she's capable of handling the truth...or, at least, what you _think_ the truth is," she continued to smile, and Grimm was unnerved.

"What do you mean, what I _think_ the truth is?"

"Do you know the truth, Grimm? Or, is it only your opinion, you not having made a final decision, not even dmitting that to yourself?"

Akinyi had noticed that he had guided them in the direction of 'neb and Rhonda, and their voices had gone louder and now softer, the closer the two pair came.

Grimm was silent a bit as they danced, and he watched Akinyi's eyes smile and even laugh for and at him, and he saw more than a bit of his feelings about Rhonda being reflected back at him. He guided her towards Rhonda, who by now had most definitely noticed what was happening and was none too amused by Grimm's actions. He saw a knowing smile on 'neb's face, and he realized that he had, for the first time in a long time, actually been out-maneuvered by someone other than Kim Possible. He looked back at Akinyi and saw the same look, and his respect for the lovely young lady with the major-league weaponry ('of more than one kind,' he grinned.) He thought that he saw her shoot him a look that said 'you're in the BE4000 cross-hairs, little mister,' and her look caused him to smile slightly and shudder inside.

"I believe that we should switch," czme from ove rthe same shoulder that received the tap. He looked up and saw cpneb's smiling face. Rhonda looked...well, she had a blank face, and that worried Grimm.

"Yes, sir, thank you. My thanks for the wonderful dance, Miss Akinyi, and the advice, as well," Grimm bowed, and Akinyi curtsied and giggled when he kissed her hand.

"You've made an old man very happy, Rhonda: thank you for the dance," 'neb grinned and kissed her hand, and Rhonda uncharacteristically giggled.

"You're not 'that' old: at least _**you**_ can see what's in front of you," she replied, not looking at Grimm but sending the message loud and clear.

"Perhaps others will gain the gift of sight, dear lady," 'neb placed Rhonda's hand in Grimm's,. 'neb took Akinyi's hand, and the two of them danced away, leaving two-thirds of Team Probable to begin a tentative dance.

"Well?" Grimm looked up to see those eyes, he now knew, that he loved, and he took a deep breath before speaking.

"Rhonda, we need to talk..."

--

"Ran, if you don't mind," Tara smiled and nodded towards a lone gentleman, and Ran nodded.

Tara stood and walked over to Star-Eva01 and smiled.

"Star, may I have this dance?"

'Knees, please: don't _**fail**_ me now,' Star laughed inside as he stood, took Tara's hand, and then led her onto the dance floor.

"I'm just gonna 'loosen you up' for Kim," Tara grinned as they began to move as one.

"Tara, for you, anything," Star replied, his accent generating a giggle from Tara.

'Kim was right: he is a true Southern Gentleman, and I didn't know that those even existed anymore,' Tara thought as Star took her into a slight turn, and Tara's heart melted into Star's arms.

"It's twue, it's twue,' she giggled inside. 'Star-man, Star-man, carrr-ry me away,' she sang in her head and laughed as she saw the smile turn into a look of confusion when her laugh escaped.

It was time.

She looked up at him, pulling out all the stops, using her eyes to bore deep into his very soul, she hoped:

"Star, can I be next?" she asked with her best little-girl-lost voice,

Star had only one thought:

'Oh, **snap.**'

--

Kimron Posstoppable was pulling Monique by the hand, and she was fighting, the appropriate amount: none at all.

"Monique," Kimron started, "I'd like for you to meet-"

"Walter Nelson," he finished as he smiled perfect teeth at Monique.

'Forget the buns, GF' Monique thought, 'that face is scrumptious!'

"Have we met?"

"Not in this 'verse, but we're engaged in another. My Monique wanted me to give you a message if and when we met, so, and I quote: 'ntmbffgfoskokf,'" Walter said with a smile, and Monique laughed.

"'No touchee my best friend fiancée, girl friend, or 16 kinds of kung-fu,'" Monique translated for Kimron just as Kim came walking up.

"Monique, who's your friend?" Kim asked, and all three burst out laughing.

"_**Now**_ what?" Kim asked with more than a bit of frustration in her voice. "So far, almost no one lets me introduce myself: now, I ask a simple stinkin' question, and you all _laugh_ at me?"

"Sorry, Kim," Kimron started and extended her hand. "I'm Kimron Posstoppable, and I believe you already know the gentleman I'm with."

"Oh, I've read your stories, Kimron," Kim shook her hand excitedly. "But, this handsome man, I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting, yet," Kim smiled, and Walter-

Laughed in her face!

Kim stood there, dumbfounded, and Walter decided to break the tension:

Walter took Kim's head between his hands and proceeded to plant a non-G-rated kiss on her.

Kim was surprised and shocked, needless to say, but just when she was getting ready to administer a full beat-down:

"We're stuck!" he moaned into Kim's mouth, and she immediately knew who it was.

She pushed him back, punched him, more than a bit playfully, in the stomach, and yelled with a huge smile on her face as he doubled over in pain:

"_**WALTER NELSON!"**_

--

"Well, what do you think, Joss?" Wade asked as they watched 'neb and Akinyi switch partners.

"I think you owe me that dance, mister," she replied.

"Before you two get away, I think you both owe me an explanation: specifically, you owe explanations to all _**four**_ of us," came from a voice behind them.

Wade turned his head and faced kt.

"I sent Dad off for some PFP," she laughed, "so, he'll be gone awhile, dodging heels of all shapes, sizes, and heights," and she pulled up a chair and sat, facing both Wade and Joss. "So, how did you do it?"

"Do what?" Joss asked innocently.

"Whatever it was that has the four of us seeing things in our heads that don't belong there," kt smiled, patting her BE4000 under the folds of her dress.

"Oops," Joss giggled. kt's smile grew golden, and she slapped her head in realization.

"Sooo, that's how," she laughed.

--

**Author's afterward:**

We have plotters, and none are bunnies, squirrels, or pigeons...and the party's just barely started!

--

Next, on _**Road Trip:**_

**P2C5: Dancing, Playing, and Singing - II**

--

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting all of us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.


	16. P2C5: Dancing, Playing, and Singing II

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

--

**A/N Forward: **

It's over, but it's just beginning

--

**P2, C5: Dancing, Playing, and Singing - II**

--

Star smiled at the beautiful young blonde in his arms as he danced.

''neb, how did you make it through last year's Fannies without losing it to this woman?' he asked himself.

"Well, Star, can I?" she asked, and her smile ripped his heart.

"Miss Tara, I don't know, honestly," he replied, and he lifted her chin before she could begin to cry.

"Well, then," she replied in her best Georgian accent, and she could not stop the giggle that escaped her lips.

"Believe me, Miss Tara," he continued, "I would love to work with you: I've heard wonderful things about you from both whitem and 'neb, but I have two stories I've go to get done, and the third monster is lurking in the background, and I promised Kim I'd finish her story this year. I can't break that promise, but I do promise you that, as soon as I can, I'll be calling you to talk about some ideas.

"Will that be all right?" Star's heart melted as he watched the smile and tears appear at the same time on that face, and the blue eyes lit up with excitement.

"You mean it, Star?" she asked excitedly.

"Of course I do, Miss Tara: I neither would nor could ever lie to you"

She nuzzled his neck, whispering "just where were you when I needed you most, you wonderful man, you?" Star felt the tears on his neck, and he held her as they just rocked back and forth to the music.

--

Bego took a deep breath and spoke:

"Do you like to dance, CajunBear 73?" Bego asked, and he nodded and stood, offering his hand. She took it, and they went to the floor and began to dance.

'Joss?' Bego called her in her thoughts..

'Yes, Bego?' the Joss from her dimension answered.

'There is something wrong with me, Joss. My internal workings are warm, and I have run all diagnostics, multiple times, and found no physical or program anomalies.

'Joss, I am scared. What is wrong with me?'

'Bego, what are you doing now…oh, my, goodness, he IS cute, for an older man.'

'He's gorgeous, Joss, and he's nice, and he treats me with respect, and he's a wonderful dancer, and he treats me like a person, Joss!'

Joss broke the link and set up a block so Bego couldn't get in, and she called Wade.

"Hey, Geppetto, get your cute tushie over her, now! You've got a problem, a really BIG problem….'

--

Twila saw that Kim was still smiling when Twila stopped talking.

It felt like she'd been talking for days, but it was only a few minutes.

"You've got a great story, Twila," Kim smiled and Ron nodded. "I look forward to reading the rest of it when you finish."

"Thank you, Kim: coming from you, your compliment means a great deal," Twila blushed. Kim Possible liked her story!

"And, you've got the Ron-man down to a tee, Twila," Ron added, and Twila tried not to faint at the table.

"Well, we've taken far too much of your time," Kim said, standing, and both Ron and Darth stood at the same time. "Twila, it's been a pleasure to meet you," Twila stood, and she and Kim hugged. "Darth's cute, Twila."

"I know, Kim, and thank you for everything," Twila whispered back, and the two ladies giggled as they separated.

"Ron, she's a keeper," Darth grinned.

"So is Twila, Darth," and the two shook hands.

"Darth, thank you for coming, and thank you for caring," Kim said, and Darth could have sworn that he drowned in those pools of emerald.

"Miss Possible," he smiled, leaned forward and stopped for a moment for a sign, and then leaned in and kissed her cheek, "it was, indeed, my pleasure," and he chuckled when he stepped back.

"What?" Kim asked with a grin on her face.

"It's true: 'Strawberries, and Mint Fields, Forever,'" he replied, and Kim pinked a bit.

"Miss Twila, thank you for a wonderful time, and thank you for everything you do, both your writing and your videos," Ron smiled as Twila's jaw dropped to the floor. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "Oh, I've been a big fan of your work," he whispered, "but don't tell KP," he stage-whispered. He reached for Kim's hand, took it, and the two of them turned and walked away.

"Wow," Darth whispered.

"Wow is right, Darth," Twila responded, and she turned to receive a kiss on the cheek from Darth.

"What was _**that**_ for?" Twila giggled.

"You know: for asking me to work with you, for being my friend, for caring about me, and for asking me to come with you on this magic carpet ride," he replied, and she leaned in and quickly brushed his lips.

"'Hey, I'm full of surprises,' too," Twila smirked as Darth stood with a totally-glazed smile pasted on his face.

--

The music ended, and the dancers and listeners all applauded.

Mags touched her wireless mike control and turned it on. "Thank you," she said, and she grinned.

"That doesn't look promising," Dr. Commander Charles P. Adams, grinned, and Joss nodded her agreement.

"'neb, I'm calling you out for a '_Bach throw-down_,'" Mags announced, and the audience roared their approval as the spotlight hit the shocked cpneb.

"Moi?" he called out innocently, and several people laughed.

"You're a professional, Mags, that's not exactly a fair fight. That's more like me going mano-a-mano against MrDrP in a writing contest."

"Word," MrDrP called out, and the audience laughed again.

"Besides, neither of us has an instrument," he concluded.

"I brought mine," Mags grinned.

"Use mine," Paul Dragon, the concertmaster, announced, holding his instrument up.

"So, 'neb, what'll it be?" Mags asked.

"Go for it, 'neb," Akinyi pushed him in the back.

"Yeah," Sarah laughed. "What's the worst you can do?"

"Make a complete fool of myself," he replied.

"And, that's different, how?" Sarah laughed.

"She's got you there, big guy," Stephen Michael Lopez laughed.

"Come on, 'neb, it's our turn to see you perform," Jennifer Battle smiled.

"Yeah, after all we've been through," Fletcher Benge started,

"We deserve a chance to see you in action, for a change," Rebecca Barlow finished.

"They've got a point, AG," kt spoke up, and 'neb glared at her and then grinned.

"For you, AG," he leaned over and kissed her forehead, "I'll do it." kt whispered something, 'neb smiled and nodded, and the crowd roared as he stood up and headed for the ramp to the pit/stage entrance.

"What did you say to him, daughter?" ja looked intrigued.

"I just gave him a hint of what I had learned, Dad," she replied with a knowing smile on her face.

"And, Star?"

"Yes, my beloved AG?" Star replied, and kt giggled.

"You still owe me that dance."

"It would be my honor, dear lady, but be gentle on an older man, all right?"

"Shore thang, mistah," kt channeled Joss, and Star grinned.

--

'neb reached the pit area and grinned: Mags was sitting in the second chair seat, the concertmaster was on the podium, and the concertmaster chair was open.

Mags patted the seat. "Your seat, sir," she smiled, then giggled, and 'neb, knowing better than to argue with a giggling Mags, took his seat and hung his cane on his right, on the pit rail. Paul handed him the violin and bow, and 'neb nodded his thanks, and then he stared at the instrument in shock.

"Paul, is this," he stopped and held the instrument in awe and reverence, "is this what I _**think**_ it is?"

"Yes, sir," Paul replied.

"Cut the sir, Paul," 'neb laughed. "I'm not that much older than you."

"It's out of respect, sir: I've heard about you from Mags, and I've read your stories. I'm a huge fan, and I voted for lots of your stories, both rounds."

"Wow," 'neb grinned and placed the violin under his chin. Playing a few scales, he marveled at the feel of both the bow and the instrument itself. 'It should feel good,' he chuckled inside, 'it's a Stradivarius."

"I'm playing a Stradivarius in Middleton, Colorado, at the Fannies awards ceremony: this is neither sick **nor** wrong," he smiled up at Paul, and then he had an evil thought: 'you won't find a Strad at Smarty-Mart,' he laughed inside.

"Bach Double in D minor, correct?" 'neb asked, and Paul nodded.

'neb took the lead, much to Mag's chagrin. He began the strong solo opening of the piece, playing the second violin part, leaving the first violin part for Mags. He played the first two bars with his eyes closed, then opened them and looked over at the smiling Mags as her cue came up after the next two bars. She joined him, their notes intertwining as she took the melody a fifth above the d minor opening bars. They played together, watching each other and smiling for the next four bars, both of them looking up at Paul at the middle of bar seven for Paul to bring in the chamber group at bar nine, and they came in on cue.

"Wow, Kim, did you know that 'neb could play like that?" Ron watched, mesmerized, as the counterpoint went back and forth between the two violinists. Kim shook her head 'no' and smiled.

"Sarah, what's wrong?" pinkymint asked the young woman who was leaking tears.

"I haven't seen 'neb this happy since before his MS exacerbation, pinkymint, that's why I'm crying. I'm just so darn happy for him, I could bust a gut," Sarah replied. Pinkymint reached over and held Sarah's hand, and the two women both shed silent tears for the music and the man who'd become a dear friend.

''neb, you haven't lost your touch: you can still woo a woman with the bow,' Mags thought as she watched him play with an intensity that she remembered from years ago.

'Mags, you're incredible: you make that violin sing, cry, laugh, and communicate all the emotions that Bach never expected to come from the Double,' 'neb thought, and it was over all too soon as they both watched each other and Paul as they came up on the last two bars and closed with the flourish of the first movement, ending in the majestic tempo slowing that drives to the final surprising D Major chord.

'She loved him, and he loved her, and they were both so young they never realized it,' Paul thought as he watched them play and finish the first movement. Paul gave the cut-off, and the chord resounded in the room to silence, and then-

The audience jumped to their feet, applauding, cheering, and whistling for the artists. Paul pointed to the soloists, and the spotlights hit them both. Mags stood, took a bow, and the applause and whistles were even louder. Mags blushed, and she nudged 'neb. He stood, and the crowd applause jumped in intensity and volume. 'neb smiled, bowed, and pointed at Paul and the orchestra, motioning for them to stand. Paul nodded, and the chamber group accompanying them stood to the cheers and applause.

'neb sat and looked over at Mags with an evil grin. He reached up, and Paul handed him a microphone.

"Did you bring the chamber version of 'BAG', Mags?"

"Does Rufus like Gouda, 'neb?"

"HEY!" the tiny voice carried over the crowd, and the audience laughed.

"KP, this is for you," 'neb grinned, placed the microphone on the tray next to the pit rail, and picked up his bow and began to play a familiar opening in a totally-different manner, followed by Mags on the rest of the notes, and the strings only from orchestra joined in on the introduction, and then the choir started to sing:

"_**I'm your basic, average girl**_," and the crowd broke into laughter as the spotlight hit Kim, and the camera threw the picture of the totally-surprised and red-faced star on the giant screen behind the orchestra.

"You can't stop me, 'cause I'm," and Paul pointed at the audience, and the crowd yelled the words:

"_**KIM!"**_

"_**POS!"**_

"_**SI!"**_

"_**BLE!"**_

Kim's face got even redder, much to the delight of the audience.

"I've never heard this version of the theme song, Dad," kt smiled.

"Knowing 'neb, he got Mags to have the arrangement created for the Fannies," ja laughed.

The ending was a shout-fest:

"_**Call me, beep me if ya wanna reach me!"**_ and Paul gave the ending a huge closing thump! of approval.

The crowd roared its applause, and the camera caught Kim standing, applauding, and blowing kisses to Paul and 'neb. The camera also caught an evil gleam in Kim's eye, and she vaulted from her seat, toward the orchestra, and onto the podium with a perfect flip, landing toe-to-toe with a very unnerved Paul Dragon.

She grabbed Paul and hugged him, generating cheers and hoots from the orchestra and choir.

"I loved it, Paul: thank you," she whispered, "but, no more surprises, or you get all 16: you got me?"

"eep," came from Paul, and it wasn't because it was Paul was happy….well, partly, since Kim had emphasized her '16 kinds' threat with a squeeze of his rear anatomy. **That** got his attention.

"KP, the orchestra and chorus all autographed the score, and we want you to have it," Mags was standing when Kim finally released a very happy and worried Paul from her hug, and the orchestra and chorus members all applauded.

"Thank you, Mags, Paul, all of you," Kim took a short bow

"'neb," she grinned and looked at him, "you've got some _**'splainin**_' to do!" and she laughed along with the orchestra, chorus, and audience.

"You can explain it to me while we're dancing," she grinned and offered her hand, and the shocked 'neb grinned and stood, first placing the violin in the case under the seat.

"I'm not flipping over that rail, though, Kim - _**KIIIIMMMM!**__**"**_

The crowd roared as Kim pulled 'neb into a flip over the rail to land outside on his feet. "That wasn't so bad, now, was it?" Kim grinned at the hyperventilating 'neb.

"You're…evil…KP…" 'neb tried to catch his breath and slow his heart rate.

"Gotcha, 'neb-meister," she grinned, and 'neb nodded, still breathing heavily.

"Now, I believe you owe me a dance, sir," and she waved at Paul. He grinned broadly and started up, and Kim laughed as they began to play 'Could it be…'

"I never imagined, two years ago, that I could or would ever be in this position, Kimberly," 'neb started as they began to dance, and the floor soon filled with others dancing and swaying to the music.

"What's that, neb?" she grinned as she pulled him closer.

"In Middleton, Colorado, having won an award for my writing, and now dancing with a beautiful young woman who wouldn't have given me the time of day when I was in high school," he replied, and she punched him gently in the side.

"That's not fair, 'neb," she laughed. "I wasn't even born back then."

"I know, but I'm no catch, and you know it."

"Try telling that to all of those ladies you brought over here with you, 'neb: especially Mags."

They danced quietly for a few moments, and Kim had a question.

"'neb?"

"Yes, Kim?"

"Is it my imagination, or does kt look like a younger version of Mags? You knew her when she was younger, didn't you?"

"OMGTI, YI! WDISTB?" 'neb muttered, and Kim laughed as she translated in her head:

'oh my gosh, that's it, you idiot! Why didn't I see that before?'

She laughed out loud, and 'neb looked at her with a quizzical look on his face.

"Just look at her, 'neb," Kim nodded her head to the right, and 'neb turned a bit to see Star and kt dancing, kt with a huge grin on her face and Star trying to keep up. Kim looked behind the pair and saw that Ron was dancing with Akinyi, and she was grinning…a lot.

Karenstern05 was dancing, on air, with Felix Renton, and she was enjoying every minute of it. Walter and Monique were nuzzling and dancing…well, more nuzzling than dancing, Kim noticed with a wry smile. KimRon and Commander Adams were dancing toward the pit, and they motioned to Mags. She stood, leaned over the edge of the pit to speak to them, grinned broadly and nodded vigorously.

Mags motioned to Captain IT, and he came down for a moment. She relayed the request: he grabbed his chest in mock horror, and laughed.

She placed her violin in her case underneath her seat and stepped up on the podium as Paul finished the song. He handed her the baton, took his seat back as the concertmaster, and pulled his violin from the case underneath the seat and stood up, clipping a wireless microphone onto his bridge and one onto his collar.

"We have two requests, folks, and they are very different ones, indeed.

"The first is for those KP country fans: get ready to 'Boot, Scootin' Boogie', y'all!" she called out, and Captain IT's band took off with the intro. Then everyone got a surprise as Paul touched his mike and started to sing:

"_**Out in the country, past the city limits sign,  
"Well, there's a honky-tonk near the county line  
"The joint starts jumpin,' every night when the sun goes down.  
"They got whiskey, women, music and smoke:  
"It's where all the country folk go to boot scootin' boogie"**_

"I didn't know Paul could sing like that," Kim said as the two of them danced: pure country.

"I didn't know you could dance like that, either, Kim," 'neb grinned.

"What about you, 'neb?" Kim chuckled.

"Grew up in West Texas, KP, and moved back a few years after college."

"Star looks happy," Kim pointed, and Star and kt were 'boot scootin' together and laughing up a storm.

"Well, d'oi: KP: he's in his element."

"Good point."

Paul hit the fiddle lick, and the crowd roared their approval when he finished it.

Paul grinned, and so did 'neb and Captain IT: all three knew the next lyrics.

Kim looked at 'neb and began to blush: she knew the lyrics, too:

"_**The bartender asks me says, 'son, what'll it be?'"**_ Paul sang, and all three replied:

"_**I want a shot at that redhead, yonder, lookin' at me,"**_ and Kim went totally red and the audience howled with laughter.

_**"Yeah: **_

"_**Heel, toe, docie-doe come on baby let's go boot scootin'  
"Cadillac, black jack, baby meet me out back: we're gonna boogie  
"Oh get down, turn around go to town: boot scootin' boogie."**_

Mags waved to Wade, and he grinned, nodded, and pushed a button. Three Wadebots came onto the dance floor, and all carried long-stemmed red roses.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the second request I just couldn't resist, being the romantic that I am. So, for all of you truly adventurous couples 'out there, in here,' you need to come up for…

"the _**TANGO**_!

"Grab a rose from the nearest Wadebot, and get ready." Mags laughed.

"What are you doing?" Akinyi/Star/'neb asked as Ron/kt/Kim grabbed a rose from the nearest Wadebot.

"We're dancing, Akinyi/Star/'neb," was the reply from their partners.

"But I don't know the tango," they all responded.

'neb looked over: Wade had a rose in his mouth, and Joss looked like she was flying on air. C. P. had one in his mouth, and KimRon looked she was going to devour it.

Akinyi looked over: Felix had one, and karenstern05 had a smile on her face brighter than the Tri-Cities area if it were lit by Mystery Meat.

Star grinned at kt with the rose in her hand, and he looked over: Jean Stoppable had one in his mouth, and Gene was grinning from ear to ear. Anne Possible had one, and James had a grin on his face that, the last time he had that grin, Anne got into trouble….seriously.

Ron, kt, and Kim each placed the rose in their own mouths, and their partners only had one common thought as the music began:

'Oh, snap….'

--

**Author's afterward:**

We have plotters, and none are bunnies, squirrels, or pigeons, the party's begun, and the fun's only in first gear!

--

Next, on _**Road Trip:**_

**P2C5: Dancing, Playing, and Singing - III**

--

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting all of us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.


	17. P2C6: Dancing, Playing, and Singing III

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. Original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

--

**A/N Forward: **

It's over, but it's just beginning

--

**P2, C6: Dancing, Playing, and Singing – III**

There was the tango...

The tango: a refined dance which can be cold and hot, distant yet sensual; it can suggest something deeply introspective and personal while, at the same time, embody a defiant, almost aggressive posturing.

The tango: where the mannerisms of the ballroom blend and collide with intense passion.

The end result: music equally at home on a polished marble floor, a lighted stage, an open-air courtyard; a music where two fantasies can intertwine, playing by the most formal rules, yet subverting all rules and regulating the moment into heated passion.

...and, there was the tangle...where awkward meets awkweird, and pandemonium can and does break loose on the dance floor.

Dignity left the building, the moment that the music started.

James had never laughed so much in his life, and most of the dancers, who attempted, with honor, to tango, had never laughed as hard, either:

The orchestra held up their end, performing a wonderful rendition of the tango, but so many couples dancing could only spell it, and that was if they were spotted the 'T' and the 'AN'...

In the back of the room, Shego had a green rose in her mouth, and Dr. Drakken was holding his own, dancing surprisingly well.

'He was never this graceful before: it must be the plants,' Shego thought, and a mass of yellow petals popped up around his neck as if in response to her thought.

KimRon and C. P. were putting on quite a show, and some of the 'dancers' simply gave up and watched as the pair moved gracefully around the room. 'Old school never looked better,' kt thought with an inner chuckle.

cpneb surrendered after only a few minutes, and he laughed as Kim gave him a frown and then a big hug. Then, with a grin, she placed the rose in her mouth, holding the end nearest the petals, and leaned forward to 'neb. He mouthed the end away from the petals and gently withdrew the rose from Kim's lips.

He smiled.

She smiled.

"Thank you, Kim: I'll treasure this...but, not the flip," he bowed, and she laughed with him as he knighted her with the rose blossom. He lifted his head and grinned.

"Will you look at that?" 'neb pointed, and Kim turned-

Bonnie and Zaratan were in the throes of a tango to remember, but they weren't the stars that everyone was watching now. The surprise of the evening was that the couple dancing was:

Grimm Probable, and Rhonda Fatigable: Rhonda had the rose in her mouth, and Grimm was gliding along the floor, holding her in his arms and smiling. They were dancing like Miguel Angel Zotto and Milena Plebs generating a novel spectacle that a great many of those present wanted to emulate. They created a style that recovered the traditional tango of the milongas, renewed it and placed it as a central element in its creation. It could only be described as poetry in motion.

"Now, I've seen everything: I've seen a naked mole rat that talks, and I've seen Grimm Probable smile,' neb said with a perfectly straight face, and Kim turned back to look at him and ask.

"Which one was the more unlikely, 'neb?"

"Grimm," they both said at the same time and laughed. Neither of them noticed the young man who came up behind them.

"Grimm," they both said at the same time and laughed. Neither of them noticed the young man who came up behind them and, in a voice that sounded frighteningly like Ernst Stavro Blofeld, ominously pronounced, "Jinx! You both owe me soda!" while tapping 'neb on the shoulder to also cut in.

Kim turned, growled, and took an immediate offensive position.

"Slyrr!" 'neb grinned, and Slyrr looked more than a bit worried at the look on Kim's face: this was not a happy smile.

"Slyrr," Kim snarled, and Slyrr lowered his head as he mentally checked off his own version of the 'bucket list': yes, his will was up-to-date, and his burial insurance was enough to keep his friends from having to pay for his funeral-

'neb laughed, and Slyrr looked up at the beaming smile on Kim's face.

"Gotcha, Slyrr," she stage-whispered, and she shocked him even more by hugging him.

"Congratulations on your wins, Slyrr," Kim continued. "You deserve them, if for no other reason but for putting up with Grimm."

"Thank you, Kim, but I was more than a bit worried there for a moment," Slyrr admitted. He didn't mind admitting that he was ready to run if she had come after him. 'I can't hit a girl, even if she does know 16 kinds of king-fu.'

"Would you like to dance, Slyrr?" Kim asked after the tango ended and Captain IT's band started up a soft rock piece.

"It would be my honor, Miss Possible," Slyrr took her hand, and the couple went to the dance floor and began a relaxing slow dance.

'neb looked over, and he was happy to see that Ron and Akinyi were talking; Ron was explaining something, and Akinyi was nodding with a smile. kt was talking to her dad, and he was grinning 'like the proverbial cat that ate the canary', or more like Rufus would, if he had been 'handed the key to the cheese factory,' neb laughed inside. He decided to head their way, but he was waylaid by Jade.

After they had started to dance, Kim asked the question that had been on her mind ever since she'd first encountered Grimm. "I've wanted to ask you, Slyrr: how did you find Grimm's universe? Did you go looking for my evil counterparts, or did you just decide that you hated me?"

Slyrr sighed heavily, looking uncomfortably away from Kim's eyes. "I don't hate you, Kim. I defy anyone who's followed your story to hate you – even the stories written by us normal folks and not the writers of your series. You touched a cord for all of us, and all of us kept on strumming. In my case, I just found so much beauty in the story when you first kissed Ron that I wanted it to continue. Unfortunately, what made it resonate so much was the Eric sitch – an actual threat to Ron's feelings for you. It made it so that when you finally kissed Ron, it wasn't just a throwaway moment. It had real impact, because you had to pass through darkness before you came to the light."

He twirled her once in his arms before going on. "And so, I had to find someone who could really challenge you – not just in kung-fu, but in your mind and in your heart _**and**_ your relationships. Not a villain who was just there for a gag or a theme villain for a specific episode, but someone who would bring darkness and make the light that much brighter in the end."

Kim smiled faintly. "So when I find a friend in darkness, will there be light?"

Slyrr smiled back. "You have no idea. But it's not a light that I'll have had anything to do with. It's a light that's already inside you, waiting to come out." He looked deep into her eyes and his voice lowered slightly. "I'm sorry about the pain I've written you going through, I really am. But there needs must be opposition in all things. If it were not so, then love would cease to be love."

"Well, then," Kim smiled, "I guess I shouldn't have Wade send a signal to wipe your hard drive, then," and Slyrr wished he'd made multiple backups.

"Kidding, guy!" Kim laughed and squeezed his hand. "I really like you, Slyrr, and I really like what you've written, even though there are time that I want to scream when I read it. I really like your artwork, too: you captured me really well, and Ron," she smiled dreamily, "you really captured the Ron-Man's essence, too."

"Thank you, Kim," Slyrr was beginning to relax a bit now. He looked over Kim's shoulder and grinned. "Looks like 'neb may have bitten off more than he could chew," and he turned them so she could look over his shoulder, and Kim couldn't help but laugh:

'neb was trying to keep up with Jade on the dance floor. The young woman had managed to corral him after he had stepped away from Kim, and she had him laughing as he vainly attempted to keep up with her on the dance floor. Bonnie walked over, tapped Jade on the shoulder, and motioned; Jade stepped away graciously with a grin, but not before she gave 'neb a big hug. Bonnie stepped up to 'neb, placed her arms around his neck, and they began to slow dance, Bonnie saying something that had 'neb looking pensive.

"Indeed: 'neb's been visited by both versions of evil: young and old," Kim said straight-faced. That put a shocked look on Slyrr's face, but it went away when Kim winked at him, and they continued to dance.

--

"Well?"

"It's happening, and sooner than I expected, Joss," Wade, from the universe where Kim and Shego were a family, was talking about the results of the scans he'd run on Bego, remotely.

"Than you **expected**?" Joss exploded. "You _**expected**_ this to happen?"

"Well," Wade grinned, "she is an honorary Possible, in a way, so I wasn't surprised: you Possibles _**can**_ do anything."

"I wasn't planning on a sister that I'd have to fight off for boyfriends, Wade," Joss shot back, and Wade winced. Then, Joss reprocessed Wade's words, and she asked:

"If you expected it, then you have a plan for dealing with this, right?"

"Of course, 'Sweet Tea,'" Wade grinned and then let out an "_**OOOF!"**_ as he doubled over, having had his air knocked out of him by Joss.

"I told you before: don't **ever** call me that again!"

"Yes, Joss," he wheezed as he tried to breathe.

--

"If you will forgive me, I have to sit and rest for a little while" Star told kt as the music ended on a slow dance.

"Ok, but you still own me one more, Star," kt told him with a hint of a smile on her face.

kt turned him loose and was rewarded with a bow from the older man that she had cornered into four dances. As he turned and started to walk away, she noticed that he was walking with a pronounced limp now that was only hinted at earlier. Then she looked a little harder and saw not only was he limping with his right leg, there was now another limp starting to form from his left.

'Well,' she thought, 'he did tell me about the operations on his legs. I guess it really is not the years, but the miles.' She watched him sit down at one of the tables near the band, and then she turned to find her father: she needed to talk to him about what she had learned from Wade and Joss.

After taking a seat, Star watched kt move off to join her father in a talk with 'neb and Akinyi. Reaching into a pocket, Star removed a bottle of aspirin and quickly removed three.

"Star, would you like something to drink?" a voice asked.

Surprised by the voice, Star looked to his right and found one of the Wadebots that was working as servers.

"Wouldn't happen to have a _Mountain Dew_ handy, would you?" Star asked with a hopeful tone in his voice.

The Wadebot seemed to pause for a moment and then removed a glass from a compartment. Filling it with ice, he placed the glass under a finger and started to pour a lightly yellow-colored liquid into the glass. Once full, the Wadebot handed the glass to Star and asked: "Will this suffice?"

Star took a tentative sip and then smiled.

"Where did you get this from?"

"'neb asked Wade if he could bring a case for you when Wade picked him up. He remembered that we do not have that drink here, and he thought you might like to have one or two, or maybe a dozen before you returned home."

Taking a long drink from the glass, and with a deep sigh, Star seemed to relax as the drink hit his stomach.

"You have no idea how much I have wanted a _Dew_ in the past few hours guy. Thank you very much, sir." Star said draining the glass.

"You are indeed most welcome, Star. Let me give you a refill before I check on the other guests," the Wadebot said has he extended his arm to refill the glass.

As the Wadebot left, Star popped the aspirin into his mouth and swallowed, and then he chased them down with another sip of the Dew, thankful that this was the 'leaded' version. Making a note to himself to thank 'neb for remembering his "Dew habit" and having some on stock, Star also thought of a way to get even with 'neb for not telling him about having it sooner.

"May I sit with you for a moment, Star?" asked a voice from over Star's shoulder again.

Turning to look at the speaker, Star saw one person that he thought would never ask to sit with him.

"Yes, Ma'am: if you want to, that is," Star said as he started to get up.

"Please: don't get up on my account, Star; I saw how bad you were limping when kt turned you loose," the young lady smiled as she sat down beside him.

"That little lady can really dance; at least I didn't fall down like I did at my wife's office Christmas party a couple of years ago." Star said, trying to show some humor in the idea of falling down while dancing with his wife in a room full of nurses.

"May I speak to you for a few minutes, Star?" she asked, looking into Star's brown eyes.

'_I can see what Kim sees in him, now_," she thought to herself. '_There's something in there that calls to you if you look beyond the surface. Besides, he is kind of cute.'_

"Sure thing, Ms. Rockwaller: what's on you mind?" Star asked as he looked at her face.

"Bonnie, please Star."

"Ok, Ms. Bonnie."

"Just Bonnie, Star."

"I'll try, Ms. Bonnie, but I make no promises."

"Is this an example of what I've heard Kim and Monique say when they talk about how a "Southern Gentleman" behaves, Star?" Bonnie asked with a question in her voice. And to her self she added, '_No wonder Kim talks about him so much. I really could get used to being treated like this._'

"Yes, Ma'am. My mom taught me manners when I was young, and my dad made sure that I followed those rules."

Bonnie looked into the pools of chocolate brown behind the glasses for a moment longer than she should have, and then started talking with him.

Star began to hear a song from his oldies disks play in his head as he listened to her. And, at the same time, the Bonnie that sat in front of him changed. She seemed to be older now, her hair longer and pulled back over her shoulders...and her eyes seem to change from teal to light blue in color.

--

Ron managed to pull Kim away from another group and back onto the dance floor. The music was a slow number, and Ron thanked Yahweh for some quiet time alone with his beloved KP.

As the music started to slow down, Ron noticed that Star was sitting at a table near the band, and he was alone with BonBon. He could tell that Bonnie was doing most of the talking, and that Star's eyes seem to be looking at something far away...or, seeing something only in his mind.

"KP, take a look." Ron said as he moved Kim to where she could see Star and Bonnie, both sitting at the table.

The second that Kim saw Bonnie and Star setting there, together and alone, Ron knew he had made a mistake. He heard a low growl escape from her lips, and he could hear her, inside his head, saying, in a voice that Ron somehow thought of as a female tiger protecting her young, "_Star's mine, and she can't have him._"

"_And what am I, KP: chopped liver, mixed with grape seed extract and EVOO, spread on toast points for an appetizer?_" Ron thought back at her and laughing.

Kim turned from Star and Bonnie and looked into Ron's deep pools of chocolate brown. '_My boyfriend, Ron, and, to many of these writers, my soon-to-be Husband and the father of our children,_' she replied.

Ron smiled as he looked into her emerald green eyes, fighting the overpowering need he felt to become lost in the pools of green. Then, he gave her a quick kiss and released her. "Go ahead, KP: go talk with him."

Kim smiled back at him as she brought her hand up to hold his cheek for just a moment, and then she made her way toward the table where Bonnie and Star sat.

--

"I think I can write that, Ms. Bonnie: at least, I'll try." Star said as he stood up with Bonnie.

Bonnie couldn't help herself: she closed the distance and gave the writer from Arkansas a quick hug.

"Thanks, Star" she said. She then started to turn away, only to find Kim standing beside her.

"K"

"B"

And with that exchange of just initials, Bonnie moved away looking for Jason and his promised PFP.

As another slow dance started, Kim held out her hand and asked:

"May I have this dance, Star?"

"Yes, ma'am, It would be _**my**_ honor." Star replied, and Kim stifled a laugh at his response. He slowly moved to take Kim's hand. As he started to lead her out onto the dance floor, she put her arms around him and started dancing there, there beside the table.

After a few moments, Kim couldn't help herself and asked: "What did Bonnie what, Star?"

"She wanted me to write a story about her, Kim," Star replied, doing his best to not step on her feet.

"You do know that B is most likely playing you: right, Star? Besides, I thought _I_ was your only girl," Kim answered as she looked into Star's chocolate brown eyes, trying to find any answer there.

"You do remember that I'm married, Kim; besides, I think your heart and love are both already owned by someone else that has chocolate brown eyes and loves you with all his heart." Star answered as he looked into her eyes., and a part of his heart could feel the pull that the young woman in his arms had on his heart.

Kim found that just like with Ron, she could get lost in Star's brown eyes. '_If I didn't have my Ronnie, Star, I think...no, I __**know**__ I would have to try to give your wife a run for her money._' And, in her mind, Kim could hear Ron laugh.

"Let me tell you about the stories that I have on the fire now," Star said as he held her closer and started to whisper into her ear.

Kim's mouth was hanging open after he told her about the 'Hallway', and then her heart ached as he told her about 'Seasons' and, then, the ending he had in the works for 'Wedding Bells.' Fighting back tears, Kim still had to ask.

"And, Bonnie?"

"You remember our talk before the Fannies, Kim?" Star asked.

Kim nodded her head as she remembered his words:

"Promise me something, Kim. I can see you love him in your eyes when you look at Ron, I can feel it in my heart, and I **know** he loves you. Promise me that, just this once, the "weird guy" gets the beautiful girl, and they have a long and loving life together?"

The one memory triggered another one from that night: how she was able to suddenly understand just how he could write the things that he did about how much Ron loved her: that, somewhere in that past of his, he **was** Ron. And, she wondered what would have happened if she had know him, back then.

Then, Star told Kim a little bit of the story that Bonnie told him. As he started to explain how a song from his Oldies disks started going inside his head, Star did not hear Captain IT's band finish their song.

"Besides, Kim, I can't see you doing this," Star said, and then in a low voice he started to sing in her ear:

"_**There's**__** a port, on a Western Bay, and it serves a hundred ships a day. Lonely sailors pass the time away, and talk about their homes."**_

Star didn't see that cpneb had gone back to sit with the orchestra and talk to Mags, nor did he see 'neb reach a long arm out for Paul's violin when he saw Star lean into Kim's ear. As Star began to sing, 'neb began to softly accompany the words that Star was softly singing to Kim, and Paul quietly took the podium.

"_**And there's a girl, in this harbor town and she works laying whiskey down. They say 'Brandy, fetch another round', she serves them whiskey and wine." **_

Mags reached for her violin from under the seat and joined 'neb. Paul lifted the baton and, after raising a number of fingers, gave a downbeat and began to conduct a very quiet accompaniment to Star's quiet serenading of Kim that seemed, as if by some form of magic, to pull at the hearts of the listeners.

As Kimberly Ann Possible danced slowly in Star's arms, she lost herself in the words of the song, neither one of them noticing Mags, 'neb, or the orchestra's soft playing.

"_**The sailors say 'Brandy, you're a fine girl, what a good wife you would be. Yeah, your eyes could steal a sailor from the sea.'"**_ Star sang in a bass voice that Kim could not believe could be so soft.

kt and Akinyi watched as their Adopted Godfather and his old friend played the music to Star's song with the grace from long practice and a love of music that shone in each note. Both could feel the music and the words pulling on her heart strings. Ron, Wade, Joss, and Sarah also watched the seemingly mismatched couple dance: the world-saving auburn-headed teen from one plane of reality, and a graying brown-headed older man, sporting both glasses and beard from the South on another plane of realty, dance slowly in place.

"_**Brandy wears a braided chain made of the finest silver from the North of Spain, a locket that bears the name of the man that Brandy loves. **_

"_**He came, on a summer's day, bringing gifts from far away. But he made it clear: he could not stay, no harbor was his home."**_

Mags and neb looked at each other for a moment: then, with an unspoken message communicated between them and Paul, all three began to slowly increase the volume, but not the intensity, of the music.

Kim looked up into the chocolate brown eyes that where a match to her Ron's, and she could see a faraway look in them that surprised her. She could not help but wonder if, wherever Star was at that moment, was he dancing wit 'that girl' from his own past now: his 'Kim', that never had her eyes opened like Kim's eyes were, so that she could see that her 'Ron' was waiting for her?

By now, most of the attendees in the room had stopped talking and were watching the pair of musicians playing the violins, the orchestra also now lovingly supporting them all, and the couple, barely moving, close to them.

"_**The sailor said 'Brandy, you're a fine girl, what a good wife you would be. **_

"'_**But my life, my love, and my lady, is the sea.'"**_

Without warning, 'neb, Mags, and Paul all 'kicked it up a notch', hitting a powerful note that increased the volume again of the music and, this time, increasing the intensity, as well. Paul lead the orchestra in their volume increase and intensity match.

And without knowing he was doing it, Star also increased the volume of the words to match the music, as if some unknown part of him was following Pal's baton along with the 'neb, Mags, and the orchestra.

Kim suddenly realized that she was in the middle of a concert that was being performed for her, with the others in the room along for the ride, and her insides warmed as she felt her face warm to the increased blood flow of the starting of a deep blush.

"_**Brandy used to watch his eyes when he told his sailor stories. She could feel the ocean foam rise; she saw its raging glory,"**_ Star sang, and Kim found that she could hear and see the ocean crash into the shore on some distance beach. She could feel the power of the waves in her bones as she looked into the glass-covered brown eyes of the man that had been dancing with her, but was now just holding and singing to her.

"_**But he had always told the truth, Lord, he was an honest man;**_

"_**And Brandy does her best to understand." **_

Mags looked at her old friend as both of them, along with Paul, brought the volume of the music to a much lower level, and she and saw a tear falling from his right eye onto his cheek as his own chocoklate brown eyes shone with joyous mixed emotions. Somehow, she could feel the joy in her old friend's heart as he, once again, was perfoming in public and for someone other than his family for whom he cared deeply.

Bonnie stood off to one side of the room and watched Star sing to Kim. She could feel a pull in her heart at the feeling that Star placed in each and every word as he sang. She closed her eyes, and she watched Steven walk away from her towards the Cargo Ship that was tied to the dock. She could feel Tommie and John hold her as her love, once again, returned to the sea that called to him.

Captain IT knew that Star would never be a professional singer, but he could not argue the feeling that came across as Star lowered his voice to match the music that Mags, 'neb, and the orchstra played.

"_**At night, when the bars close down, Brandy walks through a silent town, and loves a man, that's not around. She still can hear him say:**_

"_**She hears him say 'Brandy, you're a fine girl. What a good wife you would be. But my life, my love, and my lady is the sea.'"**_

Kim could feel that the magic spell that the song had placed on Star was ending as he repeated the last lines again.

"'_**Brandy, you're a fine girl. What a good wife you would be. But my life, my love, and my lady is the sea.'"**_

Then, he fell silent and she could suddenly hear violins playing. She quickly looked out of the corner of her eye and saw Mags and 'neb, without the now-silent orchestra, play the ending notes of the song that had been sung to her.

When the music stopped, no one made a sound. Kim, looking into Star's eyes, could see powerful emotions boiling just behind the glasses. Then the silence was broken by someone clapping.

Everyone turned to see Ron Stoppable standing between Kim and Star and Mags and Neb. And Kim saw him applauding and crying with a huge smile on his face.

Suddenly, the room filled with noise as everyone started to applaud.

Kim could feel her face turn red and feel the heat from the blush. She could see that Star was also blushing to the point that it looked like his beard had turned the same color as her hair. But she could also tell that something was wrong.

"Forgive me Kim… Ms. Possible. I didn't mean to embarrass you like that, I'm sorry." Star said as he lowered his head. He stepped away from her as if he was contaminating her. "I'd better go now, I don't want to embarrass you anymore, Ms. Possible. Would you please tell Wade and cpneb that the 'hillbilly' will meet them at the plane later when they are ready to return home?" He turned and walked away.

Kim stood there in shock as she watched him move toward one of the doors as quickly as his limp would let him. Kim watched him reach into his vest pocket and remove something. As the door opened, Kim thought she heard a click, and then she saw a cloud of smoke follow Star through the door as he headed outside.

Conflicting emotions attacked her, like Gemini's henchmen, from all sides, and she felt overwhelmed, but a single voice in her head vanquished them all:

"_Go, my beloved: go, and tell him."_

"Thank you, Ronnie," she replied out loud, and Kim raced for the exit door, bursting through it and yelling:

"_**STAR!**_

"_**STOP!"**_

--

"'neb, we need to talk to you," 'neb looked up from the pit and saw that ja and kt were standing at the edge of the pit. Both ja and kt were grinning.

"What's the sitch?"

"Oops," kt giggled, and 'neb saw Joss and Wade standing behind her, both of them with combination looks of 'cat-ate-the-canary' and 'I got my hand caught in the cookie jar and I'm in deep stuff" on their faces

"All four of you need to talk to me?" 'This does _**not**_ bode well for 'neb,' neb thought.

"Well, yeah, we do," Joss looked down.

'If she won't make eye contact, this is not a good sitch,' 'neb thought. He stood up, motioned to Wade to push her forward, and he placed his hand underneath her chin and lifted her face so he could see her. "What did you do this time, li'l darlin': blow up the school?"

"We were just tryin' to help our friends, 'neb," Joss' eyes were red like she'd been crying for a bit, and her lip was starting to quiver-

"Don't go all PDP on me, Andrea Jocelyn," neb smiled, and Joss smiled through her face. "So, just what did you do, and to whom did you do it?"

"It was kt, Akinyi, Star, and you, 'neb, but we didn't mean no harm," she whined, and Wade winced.

'neb caught it and stared at him. "You were in on it, too?"

Wade nodded.

'neb sighed. If Wade was in on it...

"All right, then," 'neb climbed out of the pit. "I guess we need to sit down, somewhere."

"We need Star and Akinyi, too, 'neb," kt said.

"And, Ron and Kim," Joss added.

"What have you done that you haven't told us?" 'neb asked, and Wade grinned 'Oh, please, don't let him say it...'

"This was going to be our way of telling you, 'neb," Wade grinned, and 'neb groaned.

--

"_**STAR!**_

"_**STOP!"**_

Star stopped and turned back to face the oncoming 'Red Express.'

"Star, you didn't embarrass me," Kim said as she stared into his eyes, looking for a reaction. "In fact, I was more shocked and surprised, and in a good way, than anything. I didn't know that you sang, and I didn't know...," Kim's smile tried to break Star's response, but she looked into his eyes, once again, and that was it.

'It's his eyes,' she thought

"You didn't know what, Miss Possible?" Star asked as he held up the last of the cigarette in his hand and smiled weakly. "I lnow: it's a nasty habit that I picked up my first year in college, but I've been a good boy while I've been here. This is only my fourth or fifth," he said as he put out what was left of the cigarette.

"It's your fault, after all, Star," she smirked, and Star looked perplexed.

"What's my fault, Miss Possible?"

"It's Kim, please, Star, and it's your eyes," she continued. "You know what Ron's eyes do to me, those wonderful pools of chocolate brown, don't you?" Kim paused for a moment before she continued. Well, yours aren't exactly dishwater brown, and you two men and Wade all have very close to the same eye color. All my men," she smiled dreamily, "all of you do it to me with your eyes," and Kim took his hand in hers and led Star to a nearby bench and pointed. Star sat down, and Kim sat next to him.

Kim began to speak softly:

"Chocolate brown eyes burrow into my soul.

All my men, with their chocolate brown eyes, captured my soul.

Ron, from Pre-K, whom I loved from the start and didn't know.

Wade, from sixth grade, who loved me and couldn't show how he felt...

And, now, I have a Star, burning bright

My own 'Southern' Star, lighting my way at night.

I lift my eyes Heavenward, and I ask:

What did I do? What was my task

To accomplish, to be this blessed, but I received no response in which to go

To have chocolate brown eyes, burning into me to light a fire in my soul.

Chocolate brown, making me want to lose control

And do things that I know I shouldn't, but they save me from my soul.

Chocolate brown eyes, one set that loved me for ages, and I didn't know.

One set loved me for what seems to be forever, but refused to let it show.

He has now his own set to love, only now they are ice-blue;

And, she understands the how of why I got lost and why I flew.

And then there is now my Star that was sent from above,

His wonderful words amaze me and fill me with such love.

The men in my life that fill me with wonder, love and promises I adore,

All have eyes of chocolate brown that fill my heart with something I adore.

I have been blessed in my life that I know now and hold it dear to my heart.

It's their eyes of brown that fill me with power, love, and I should have know it from the start.

I have been blessed by

Chocolate, Brown Eyes

In my life.

I look forward to living with

Chocolate, Brown Eyes, and

Being their wife.

Kim looked at him, and he smiled through his tears. She realized, to her surprise, that she was crying, too: she felt her tears falling like rain on her cheeks, and she saw him reach into his pant pocket and pull out a crisp white handkerchief and handed it to her. She took it with a smile, wiped her tears, and then she wiped his tears from his face.

"So, KP, are you taking lessons from kt now?" Star asked as he smiled, and Kim laughed and nodded.

"Hey, if she's gonna take over the world..." she let her sentence trail off as she gave Star a knowing smile, and then she proceeded to tell him what she came out to tell him: what she and Ron, Wade and Joss, had all done, out of love.

--

From Star and from cpneb, in different locations, at the same time, came the same question:

"_**YOU DID WHAT?"**_

--

**Author's afterward:**

The baby bunnies have emerged, and the fun had gone past Second Gear!

--

Next, on _**Road Trip:**_

**P2C7: Dancing, Playing, and Singing - IV**

--

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting all of us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

--


	18. P2C7: Dancing, Playing, and Singing IV

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

It's over, but it's just beginning...

--

**P2, C7: Dancing, Playing, and Singing - IV**

--

"What have you done that you haven't told us, Wade?" 'neb asked, and Wade grinned. 'Oh, please, don't let him say it...'

"This _**was**_ going to be out way of telling you, 'neb," Wade replied, and 'neb groaned.

Wade began to speak, and kt grabbed her dad's arm: she had never seen 'neb look like this before.

--

"So, KP: are you taking lessons from kt?" Star asked as he smiled, and Kim laughed and nodded.

"Hey, if she's gonna take over the world..." she let her sentence trail off for as she gave Star a knowing smile, and then she proceeded to tell him what she came out to tell him: what she and Ron, Wade and Joss, had all done, out of love for their friends.

--

From Star, and from cpneb, in different locations, and at the same time, came the same shout:

"YOU**DID**_** WHAT??"**_

**--**

KimRon laughed as Dr. Adams brought her two glasses, each with a sprig of mint hanging on the side.

"A little something for a wonderful tango, my dear," C. P. smiled. "You dance wonderfully."

"You aren't half bad yourself, Doctor," KimRon replied as C. P. placed the glasses on the table.

"Is that more of your 'Sweet Tea', Doctor?" she asked, fluttering her eyelashes, and C. P. laughed in return.

"It's my own special recipe, my dear," he explained. "This one," he pointed at the one on the left, "is pure Sweet Tea, and this one," he pointed at the one on the right, "is 'Sweet Tea' Plus."

KimRon picked up the glass on the right and sipped.

Her eyes performed a classic cartoon bug-out. She choked and coughed several times, grabbing the glass on the left and downing half of it in one gulp.

"Good gravy, Doc," she was finally able to talk, "what's _**in**_ that thing?"

"A little something extra that I made a few months back 'for medicinal purposes' only," he explained. "I needed it after I came back from a mission that Betty cooked up for me that had me in the Pacific and in Australia," he added. "I got back just in time to end up in Montana with Jocelyn and the Lowardians."

KimRon looked at the man, smiling. She could tell he was hurting, but she didn't know why.

"_**YOU DID WHAT??"**_

KimRon jumped, and C. P. laughed.

"They found out," he laughed, and he lifted his glass and drained it after an air-toast.

"Who found out what?" KimRon asked.

"'neb and Star," C. P. replied. "They both just found out what Joss and Kim have been up to," and KimRon suddenly felt sorry, but she wasn't sure who she felt the sorriest for: 'Star and 'neb, or Kim and Joss.' She shook her head as she saw Kim enter the building and, without any hesitation, make a straight line into the room where she saw Joss, kt, Akinyi, 'neb, and ja had entered only a few moments before.

--

"So, Ron, you like?" James T. Possible asked, and Ron grinned.

"I love the idea, Mr. Dr. P: anything that makes her smile is a good thing in my book, and this will certainly make her do that."

"_**YOU DID WHAT??"**_

"Uh-oh," Ron laughed, and James looked puzzled.

"The ladies just told Star and 'neb," he explained, and James felt a cold chill down his back.

'I'd better go, MrDrP: after all, it was partially my fault," Ron patted his belt, and James nodded.

Ron left, and James picked up the other piece that Mags had prepared for them to perform for the writers. He looked at the opening line, and he laughed as he read it once again:

"'Bob and Mark have gone to play with penguins,'" he sang, and he laughed once again.

"Show folk," he grinned.

--

"Now, let me get this straight: just whose idea was _this_, anyway?" 'neb was not a happy camper, and kt knew it since he was yelling at Kim and Joss. Akinyi stepped forward to stand with kt, but one glare, the likes of which she'd never seen before from 'neb' told her to stay out of the line of fire.

"Now, AG, don't get mad at them," kt started, and 'neb turned and glared at her.

"Are _**you defending**_ them?" he yelled, and ja looked at him in shock. "You know what they did to you, and _**you're**_ defending _**them?**_" he continued to yell, and he realized that he had crossed the line when her face scrunched up at him.

She looked like she was going to cry, and she threw her arms around his neck and whimpered.

He melted into a large pile of brown sugar when he realized what he had done as he felt her tears on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," his voice volume dropped about 95 percent, almost to a whisper. "I'm sorry, kt: I know it's not your fault," he patted her back.

What 'neb couldn't see was kt's grin and thumbs' up to Kim and Joss.

"Do you forgive me, AG?" neb pulled her back so he could see her face, with her red eyes and quivering lips, but he smiled because she wasn't crying anymore.

"I'll always forgive you, AG," she grinned and hugged 'neb once again, throwing another grin at Kim that made her certain that kt was, indeed, going to, one day, take over the world.

Joss stood and watched, and she stifled a grin and a giggle, and then she realized that 'kt played 'neb like 'neb plays the violin: masterfully.'

ja couldn't see what kt was doing, but he had a strong suspicion...

"Kim, Joss, I'm sorry," 'neb smiled sadly. "Can you forgive an old man for yelling at you?"

"Well, I don't know," they both responded, and ja grabbed the back of the chair in front of him, for he knew what was coming:

Puppy-dog-pout, full strength, from both Possible women: the next generation.

Akinyi laughed as ja ducked his head behind his daughter's chair.

'ja and 'neb soooooo deserve this,' Akinyi thought; 'especially 'neb.'

--

Ron got there just after Star did. Star put his arm in front of Ron, keeping him from opening the door more then the small crack that it was currently was.

"You don't want to go in there, Ron: kt's pout," and Ron shuddered, "and the Possible women just let loose a full barrage of PDP," and Ron swayed.

"My god, man, you left 'neb in there all alone and with that much firepower directed at him?" Ron grinned, and Star laughed as he glanced back out into the main room.

Then Ron thought for a second, and asked the most obvious question, "Just how did you know that, Star, standing out here?"

Star then turned back and faced Ron, and Ron managed not to jump at what he saw behind Star's glasses: blue eyes, not brown.

"I just know, Ron, I just know" was Star's answer and, as he blinked, his eyes returned to the brown that matched Ron's.

'Don't tell me you did what I think you did' Ron thought as he pictured the Lotus Blade in his mind.

'This _**is**_ our way of telling you,' was the answer he got back from the other voices that he had became comfortable with hearing inside his mind. Then they added, 'And we loved every moment of it, as well.'"

Before Ron could think of a reply, Star continued.

"ja's in there with him, but he's had 12 years of practice with kt's pout; 'neb's had only a few weeks," Star smiled, and Ron stared at him and broke into a grin.

"Better him than me, brother Star: better him than me," Ron announced, and Star nodded agreement just as Wade walked up.

Ron held up his hand. "Double-strength PDP in the hole, Wade," Ron said, and Wade blanched.

--

From above in the rafters, two men sat and watched the events transpire.

"We could have been here earlier, you know," the first said, and the second turned and faced him.

"Well, if someone hadn't been in the gentleman's club 'in the booth, in the back, in the corner, in the dark,' I would have found him sooner. As it was, we barely made it here for the party."

"Some party, though, eh?" the first asked, and the second nodded and pulled out a pair of bottles.

"Something to celebrate with," he grinned. He handed one bottle to his partner; they removed the caps, clicked, and drank.

"That's some good stuff," the second grinned after he swallowed.

"Canadian is better, you know, especially than that Yank stuff from Milwaukee. Although, I have grown partial to having a brew from Texas, on occasion," the first stated.

"After as many missions as you've had, Joe, I'd have thought you'd have found the best of all brews," Jurnee Jakes stated, and Joe laughed quietly

"Haven't had a chance to 'try them all' yet, Jurnee," Joe replied with a grin, and Jurnee groaned.

--

"All right," 'neb grinned. "You two don't have to gang up on me: kt already had me at pout. Besides, I could never be mad at any of you for very long, anyway," he smiled and reached out his hands, and each lady took one as they shared a hand squeeze.

"How about me?" Wade stuck his head in the room, and ja laughed.

"And me?" Ron asked, sticking his head into the room, and Star pushed him the rest of the way into the room, pulling Wade along with him.

"And, you two, too," 'neb laughed as they came up to join the ladies.

"What about me?" A voice came from the front of Ron's pants, and 'neb stared at Ron.

"This was _HIS_ idea, too?" 'neb asked, and Ron's second belt disappeared and reappeared in his hands as the Lotus Blade.

"Of course it was my idea," the Lotus Blade replied. "You don't think that they came up with the idea and convinced us all by themselves, do you?" a chorus of chuckles filled the air.

"Dang, 'neb, you're as bad as Wade and Ron put together," Akinyi laughed.

"HEY!" came from Ron and Wade at the same time.

"And, why?" 'neb asked.

--

"James, this is a wonderful idea," Gene Stoppable smiled as he took off his tuxedo jacket. "Our ladies deserve this, if for no reason but putting up with us."

"Gene, it's a pleasure to do this with you," James replied, hanging up his jacket. "Jean is a wonderful woman, and the fact that she and Anne are both new moms doesn't hurt, either," he grinned.

"You know, James, that we're the envy of most of the writers out there," Gene smiled as he changed shirts.

"Yea, but they're not 'in here', are they?" James dead-panned and Gene laughed at the 'pointed' joke.

"We're awfully lucky, Gene," James continued.

"And, a lot safer than 'neb and Star, I'm afraid," Gene laughed. "Ron told me what they did to the four of them."

"Well, at least they care about each other, Gene," James replied as he took off his shoes.

"But, do they care that much?" Gene asked, mirroring James' movements.

"I certainly hope so," James smiled, and he and Gene nodded.

--

"So, you all planned this?" ja asked, and Ron nodded.

"Yes, sir," Ron replied. "we all know how much your daughter cares about 'neb and Star, and we know how much Star and 'neb care about her and Akinyi, let alone how much Akinyi cares about Star and 'neb.

"We decided," and a loud cough came from the Blade.

"Well, we all agreed that the four of them needed to see how much the others care about them; kinda like Kim and I found out last spring," Ron wrapped his arm around Kim's waist.

"And, how much I love my 'Sweet Tea'," Wade grinned as Joss swatted at him and put his arm around her shoulders.

"So, we decided to help things along by letting them see each other, older or younger," Kim added.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Joss added, and ja dropped his head into his hands and laughed silently.

--

Pharaoh Rutin Tutin had finished his third dance with Sarah Best, and he was exhausted.

"Sarah, please," he begged off: "Give me a few minutes between dances, all right?"

She laughed, motioned for him to sit, and she went out on the dance floor with Chip.

Pharaoh looked down at his feet and smiled. "I'm sorry," he said to them. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"How do you propose to do that?" a decidedly feminine voice sounded, and Pharaoh looked up to see Shego, grinning at him.

He gulped, said a couple of mental Hail Mary's, and spoke.

"Hello, Shego," he finally got the words out, and Shego laughed and sat in the chair next to him.

"Relax, guy: if I didn't flame you last year for Rugo, I'm not going to do it this year," she smiled, and PRT let out a huge sigh of relief.

"What? Did you think I was coming over here to dismember you in public?" She grinned, and PRT felt like a three-ounce mouse in front of a 10-lb cobra that had been on a meat-free diet for 14 days.

She looked him squarely in the eye. "Foot problems, oh King of Denial?" she snarked, and he looked surprised.

"Relax, PRT: Hego had something similar when I was still living at the Go Tower. Come with me," she pulled him to his feet, and he almost lost color. She laughed. "Relax: I don't kill in public," she grinned and pulled him into a room, closing the door behind her. An audible 'click' could be heard from outside as the lock fell into place...

--

Mike Industries and Ino was sitting and watching the dancers, when Ino grinned.

"What?" Mike asked. He always got worried when she had one of those grins.

"I have a present for you, Mikey-san," she smiled and handed him a cell phone.

"I've got a phone, Ino," Mike said, looking confused.

"Hello?" a tiny female voice came from the speaker, and Mike almost fell out of his chair. He stood and held the phone up to his ear, walking away.

Ino saw him slumped as he walked away, but he stood straighter and straighter as he took each step, and he was standing tall after about 10 steps. He stopped and turned back, and Ino saw a huge smile on his face. He mouthed 'thank you' and continued talking.

Ino smiled to herself and sipped her diet ginger ale, watching the people dancing, playing, and singing.

After four songs finished and the fifth was underway, she felt a soft caress on her shoulder.

"Yes, Mikey-san?" she knew his touch even without looking, and he placed his arms around her and squeezed as he leaned over and whispered to her.

"Thank you, Ino, but how did you know I missed Tomi, and she missed me?"

"It is a woman's capability to understand the obvious, Mikey-san," she grinned and reached down to the bowl on the table, plucking the fruit off the stem and placing it in Mike's mouth. "Now, chew, Mikey-san, or Ino will not be happy," she grinned as she fed Mike the greenest, coldest grapes she had been able to find, courtesy of her new friends in Middleton...and beyond.

"What am I going to do with you?" Mike grinned between bites.

'I'm gonna kill 'neb about these grapes,' he thought, but he realized he hadn't seen him in awhile.

--

"You didn't put us into each others' heads, did you? 'neb asked.

"Been there, done that, 'neb, and don't have the energy source, unless you want to come with me to Montana," the Lotus Blade laughed, and all nine individuals shuddered as they thought about that possibility. "We just gave you each a little 'nudge,'" the voices added with a collective chuckle.

"Such as...?" Star asked.

"Well, we thought, Star, that you and 'neb needed to experience both Akinyi and kt at their current ages and ages closer to yours, and that they needed the converse: that way, all would understand what a special relationship you have."

The room was silent.

kt broke it first. "So AG 'neb would be closer to my age, and I would be closer to his?"

"In a manner of speaking: you would experience both him and Star at the age of 14, and they would experience you and Akinyi at the age of 35," the voices replied.

"35?" kt whispered. 'Man, that's ancient," she added, and ja, Star, and 'neb, all laughed.

The Lotus Blade groaned.

"RON! We're on in 15 minutes!" The voices slammed open the door, and Jim and Tim Possible came barreling in.

The brakes slammed on, hard, and they both stared at kt.

She started to blush, and the boys took full advantage of it.

"Hellllllllllllllllloooooooooooooo, Nurse!" Tim panted, and kt giggled.

"Where have you been all my life, beautiful?" Jim asked, and kt giggled some more.

"Let's go, guys," Ron grabbed them and pulled them out of the room, fighting back at their protests about leaving.

kt giggled some more, and Akinyi just sighed.

'She always gets the guys' attention first,' she moped, and Star put his arm around her shoulder.

'Don't worry, AG," he whispered, and she giggled.

--

BeGo was staring at CajunBear73 and licking her lips.

'This cannot be right, but it feels so good,' she thought as she reached up and touched her face.

"What's happening to me?" she whispered, and CajunBear73's head whipped around and stared at her.

"Oh, snap," was all he could say.

--

Mags spoke into her headset, listened for the reply, and she nodded as the orchestra finished up the piece.

She clicked her headset, and the stage went black.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have a special request from one of my personal favorite people from Middleton. It's a he and, in my humble opinion, he's a hunk," Mags added, and the audience laughed.

"He wanted to do something special for someone.

"Is there someone out here named 'Teal Cat'?" Mags asked, and the spotlight hit a blushing Dr. Anne Possible and a laughing Jean Stoppable. "There you are," Mags called out, and Anne blushed even more. "Dr. Anne, call me if you ever get tired of him, and I'll take him off your hands: I could always use a 'younger man,'" Mags grinned, and the trombones in the back started the glissando for 'the Stripper,' much to the delight of the audience.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you 'Dr. J and the Beige Raccoons!'" The spotlight hit James Possible on stage, and his pose was straight from the movies:

His back was to the audience, and he was wearing tight onyx leather pants that generated loud and long whistles from several ladies in the audience, including Shego and Lady Rhetorica. Kim blushed, and she then realized that her dad's hair was slicked down. She watched him pull out a comb, stroke it though his hair, and snap it in half with one hand. Then, he turned to the audience with a huge grin on his face….

--

**Author's afterward:**

The baby bunnies are frolicking, and the fun's peaking.

--

Next, on _**Road Trip:**_

**P2C7: Closing - I**

--

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting all of us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.


	19. P2C8: Closing – I

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

It's over, but it's just beginning...

--

**P2, C8: Closing – I**

--

Sir Sebastian and whitem grinned at each other as they left the dance floor with their dates, Sir Sebastian holding Crystal's hand and whitem with his arm around Liz's waist.

"Sir, we are two lucky writers," Sir Sebastian commented, and Crystal giggled and kissed his cheek, not unintentionally capturing the corner of his lips.

"Oh, I don't know, Double-S: I think I'm pretty darn lucky from where I stand," she replied. Crystal's right shoulder was bare of the silver dress material that hugged the rest of her body wonderfully. 'He sure likes the silver stockings, too,' Crystal grinned inside.

"Same here, Chrys," Liz smiled and leaned her head onto whitem's shoulders and sighed. "whitem is just enough of a gentleman," she grinned.

"Oh, really?" he asked, and his hand moved down her back-

"OW!" Liz jumped, turned and faced whitem with a Kim-look on her face.

"Sorry, Liz, but it was the 'Peerless Pincher' that did it," whitem said with an innocent face, and Liz couldn't resist: she stretched up on tiptoes and kissed his cheek, leaving a light lipstick imprint on whitem's face.

"Have I told you how lovely you are in that dress, Liz?" whitem asked, trying to hide his blush.

"Only about 45 times this evening," Liz grinned, "and they are all welcome. Have I told you how cute you were when you were buried in kisses and gasping for air?" she smiled, and whitem would have sworn she looked like a redheaded Shego with that smile.

He placed his arm around her shoulder and marveled at how soft she was in his arms. 'Now, I know why Wade likes the freckles so much: maybe he should write a poem about them.' whitem mused. "Thanks, loads," he feigned being hurt, and Liz smiled. "I must admit, though: now I know what Wade means when he says 'What a way to go!'"

Liz laughed.

"'Doomed', huh?" she smiled, and the smile reminded whitem of one of Kim's smiles to Ron.

"Kinda like Ron is doomed with the Kimela beast," whitem replied, and Liz reached up for a kiss of a different kind.

"I like tasting vanilla," she purred, and Sir Sebastian laughed as whitem succumbed to the inevitable.

"I like to 'Finnish' what I start," Crystal added, and Sir Sebastian looked into the face of pure seduction and followed whitem to the land from which dreams emerge….

--

"'Evil men have no songs.' How is it that Drakken had songs?"

Lady Rhetorica laughed. 'I'm sharing Nietzsche quotes with a Naked Mole Rat,' she smiled.

"My favorite, though," Rufus concluded as he swallowed the last of the Muenster wedge, "is 'A good writer possesses not only his own spirit but also the spirit of his friends.'

"Thanks to you writers, I have experienced so much more in my life," he observed, and then he went silent when Lady Rhetorica began to scratch his back.

'Not your normal party,' she smiled as she scratched and he responded by stretching out his full body length.

"He likes that, doesn't he?" A female voice caught the Lady's attention, and she looked up and smiled.

"Hello, Rhonda," she said, and Rhonda pulled up a chair and smiled as she sat.

"Thank you, Lady R," she said. "I finally got him to open up and tell me how he feels about me!"

"Good for you, Rhonda: you deserve it."

"Thank you for the advice, and thank you for getting 'neb to go along with it all," Rhonda gushed as she sat and joined Lady Rhetorica in the 'Rufus-worship,' this time both of them concentrating on his back,

"Well, you did know that 'neb has been a fan of yours from the beginning, don't you?"

"'neb? A fan of mine?" she looked surprised for a moment, and then she grew a huge grin. "Well, d'oi!" Rhonda laughed at the comment and at Rufus, who now had started to make little moaning sounds.

"You hooked Grimm?" Lady asked, and Rhonda pantomimed a fisherman, reeling in a huge catch.

Rufus stopped his moaning long enough to look up at Rhonda and whisper, "Please...don't stop..."

Rhonda looked down at his pleading eyes and laughed, "You're worse than Rueful," upon which he immediately rolled over onto his back again. She reached down and started to rub his tummy. "Goood little naked mole rat," she cooed, and Rufus moaned again.

--

Mags spoke into her headset, listened for the reply, and she nodded as the orchestra finished up the piece.

She clicked her headset, and the stage went black.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have a special request from one of my personal favorite people from Middleton. It's a he and, in my humble opinion, he's a hunk," Mags added, and the audience laughed.

"He wanted to do something special for someone.

"Is there someone out here named 'Teal Cat'?" Mags asked, and the spotlight hit a blushing Dr. Anne Possible and a laughing Jean Stoppable. "There you are," Mags called out, and Anne blushed even more. "Dr. Anne, call me if you ever get tired of him, and I'll take him off your hands: I could always use a 'younger man,'" Mags grinned, and the trombones in the back started the glissando for 'the Stripper,' much to the delight of the audience.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you 'Dr. J and the Beige Raccoons!'" The spotlight hit James Possible on stage, and his pose was straight from the movies:

His back was to the audience, and he wore tight onyx leather pants and a plain white fitted Tee-shirt that generated loud and long whistles from several ladies in the audience, including Shego and Lady Rhetorica. Kim blushed, and she then realized that her dad's hair was slicked down. She watched him pull out a comb, stroke it though his hair twice, and then, with a twirling flourish, snapped it in half with one hand. Then, he turned to the audience with a huge grin on his face and showed the crowd what Anne had been keeping a secret: some rocket scientists make wonderful partners, husbands, and are _**quite**_ easy on the eyes, especially with a five-pack and only a bit of a bulge at the tummy.

"This is for my 'Teal Cat,' who still has trouble realizing that she is, as 'neb is so fond of saying," and 'neb tried to bury himself in his tux, and Tara and Monique both laughed at him, "DDG.

"For those of you not well-versed in 'Mon-speak,' DDG means 'Drop-Dead Gorgeous,'" he added, and Anne blushed even more (if that was "Possible"). Kim grinned, then caught StarEva01's eye and gave him a big wink, causing him to blush even more and kt to create a loud giggle.

James turned, pointed both halves of his comb at Captain IT and called out:

"I!

"T!

"Hit it!" he enunciated each syllable, and Captain IT saluted James with his bass and grinned. James turned his back on the audience again, and Shego stuck two fingers in her mouth (causing some male writers to grow faint with blood loss) and whistled loud enough to be heard across the entire room: "Yeah, baby! Anything really _**IS**_ possible for a Possible!"

IT looked over at Mags, winked, mentally counted off, cued his band, and they kicked off the introduction to the song.

A second spotlight hit another part of the darkened stage, and the audience cheered, hooted, and whistled as Ron, Wade, and Slim Possible were spotlighted. Ron and Wade were dressed like James: tight leather pants and fitted white Tee-Shirts. Slim had the fitted white Tee-Shirt, but he wore a pair of black jeans that appeared not to be tight but, rather, painted on (much to Betty's delight and Lady Rhetorica could not stop the grin that appeared on her face at the sight). All three, though, wore the same wireless microphones, and all three were grinning.

Joss had an idea about Wade's pants….

'BAD JOSS!' she grinned, and then she blushed.

And, then the three backup singers began to sing:

**(Ron, Wade, and Slim) **

_Kimmie's mom has got it going on_

_Kimmie's mom has got it going on_

_Kimmie's mom has got it going on_

_Kimmie's mom has got it going on_

Then, James whipped around, grabbed the microphone from the microphone stand that had risen from the stage, and sang to his 'Teal Cat' who, by now, was more red than teal.

**(James)**

_Kimmie, I'm coming home early after work, tonight _

**(Ron, Wade, and Slim) **

_after work, tonight_

**(James)**

_So I get can a good look at __Anne__, 'cause she's all right _

**(Ron, Wade, and Slim) **

_she's all right_

**(James)**

_Did your mom make it home from brain surgery? _

**(Ron, Wade, and Slim) **

_brain surgery?_

**(James)**

_I hope she's there, 'cause she's been trying to get a look at me _

**(Ron, Wade, and Slim all smile) **

_get a good look at me_

Anne blushed, and Jean tapped her on the arm. "Where can I get a pair of those pants for Gene, Anne-Jean?" Jean asked.

"Hush, Jean-Anne," Anne replied with a laugh and realized that her face was warm…very warm.

**(James)**

_You know, I'm not the collage 'squirt' that I used to be_

_I'm all grown up now Kimmie, can't you see_

**(All): **

_Kimmie's mom has got it going on_

**(James)**

_She's all that I want and I've waited for so long_

_Kimmie–cub, oh can't you see_

_She always was the woman for me_

_I know it sound so wrong but I'm in love with Kimmie's mom_

**(Ron, Wade, and Slim) **

_Kimmie's mom has got it going on_

_Kimmie's mom has got it going on_

**(James)**

_Kimmie, do you remember when I was washing the car _

**(Ron, Wade, and Slim) **

_washing the car_

**(James)**

_I was watching your mom bending over so far _

**(Ron, Wade, and Slim all grinned)**

_oh, so far_

**(James)**

_I could tell my face was red by the way that she'd grin _

**(Ron, Wade, and Slim) **

_way she'd grin_

**(James)**

_And the way she said: "Honey, _

_You missed that spot over there, again."_

**(Ron, Wade, and Slim) **

"_over there, again"_

**(James)**

_And I know that you think it's just a fantasy_

_But I stopped working late just so your mom and me…well…_

James grinned, and Kim yelled "TMI, Dad!" to the cheers of the cast and writers.

**(Ron, Wade, and Slim) **

_Kimmie's mom has got it going on_

**(James)**

_She's all that I want and I've waited for so long_

_Kimmie-cub can't you see_

_She always was the woman for me_

_I know it might sound so wrong but I'm in love with Kimmie's mom._

**(Ron, Wade, and Slim)**

_Kimmie's mom (oh, oh, oh, oh)_

_Kimmie's mom (oh, oh, oh, oh)_

**(James)**

_Kimmie-cub can't you see_

_She was always was the woman for me_

_I know that it's not wrong: I'm so in love with Kimmie's mom!_

The audience cheered, laughed, and stood, and James and the Beige Raccoons all took a bow. James motioned at the band, and the spotlight hit Captain IT and his band. They all took a bow, and IT pointed at Mags. She bowed, and she turned to the orchestra, and the air was filled with the sound of soaring strings.

Anne was glad that they hadn't put a spotlight on her: she was almost as red as her hair, and she felt like Kimmie when she went through the Aurora plant situation.

James let the audience take their seats, and then he began to speak.

"Most of the male writers here have commented on the loveliness of the ladies in Middleton," he started, and the applause filled the room. "I can't tell you how we gentlemen became so lucky as to find these truly magnificent women in our lives, but this is for them, starting with someone you may not know quite as well as you know my 'Teal Cat'"

James turned, Anne laughed hard, and Jean gasped, for coming from the back of the stage wearing a soot-covered fireman's yellow suit, complete with the hat, was her husband, Ron's father, Gene Stoppable.

He stopped in front of James, turned his back to the audience, and lifted his arms out to the side a bit as James removed the yellow hat, tossed it toward backstage, and then removed Gene's yellow suit with a hard pull that ripped it away to reveal a sharp, crisp, well-fitted tux. Gene turned around to face the crowd and took the microphone from James. James bowed and stepped back to join the backup group, and Wade handed him a wireless microphone. James slipped it on while Gene waited for the musical bridge to complete. Then, he lifted his hand, and the lights in the room faded to black except for two spotlights: one on him, and one on Jean.

"It's your turn in the spotlight, Jean-Anne," Anne 'stage whispered' to her friend and backed away to let Jean have her moment.

Gene began, and Jean fell in love with 'her lovable hunk of CPA' all over again:

**(Gene Stoppable):**

_Oh, my love  
my darling  
I've hungered for your touch  
a long lonely time  
and time goes by so slowly  
and time can do so much  
are you still mine?  
I need your love  
I need your love  
Godspeed your love to me_

Mags began a bridge as the audience applauded, and Gene bowed and blew Jean a kiss. She reached up and grabbed it from the air, bringing it down and clutching it to her chest as their spotlights faded to dark.

The spotlight snapped, and Shego was blinded for a moment, and she realized that she was in the dead-center of the bright white light.

'Oh, snap, he's not there, is he?' she asked, but she looked up, and there he was on the stage, complete with petals around his neck. Drew Lipsky began to sing, and Shego grinned and began to blush as she decided that all those years of putting up with his karaoke had been worthwhile, after all….

**(Drew Lipsky):**

_Oh, my love  
my darling  
I love to feel your touch  
a long lovely time  
and time goes by so slowly  
and time has done so much  
I want you here  
I need your love  
I want your love  
Godspeed your love to me_

Mags bridged again with the audience applause, and Drew grinned. Shego's blush was not gone, and she was still in shock that he'd gotten away from her and gone up there. She looked over at PRT; he grinned, gave her a thumbs-up, and blew her a kiss as the spotlights on them faded to dark.

The spotlight snapped, once again, and this time kt, Akinyi, and Kathrine were shocked to find all three centered in the light, this time with C. P. standing in front of them with a microphone.

C. P. began, and kt grinned: 'he's just as bad as 'neb', she thought as Star squeezed her hand and 'neb squeezed Akinyi's, 'neb enjoying the look of shock on their faces:

**(Dr. C. P. N. Adams):**

_Oh, my loves  
my darlings  
I know you're all so young  
I envy you all  
for you have such bright futures ahead  
and time will give you much  
I want you here  
You all are loved  
Please, know you're loved  
Godspeed our love to you_

Mags bridged again with the audience applause. C. P. laughed as he was slam-hugged by all three ladies at the same time as their spotlights faded to dark.

This time, twin spotlights hit the audience and Kim and Joss Possible found themselves in the limelight this time, and both had the same thought:

'Oh, snap!'

They looked up on stage and laughed: Wade and Ron were in matching light blue tuxedos, light blue and a large black bow tie. Each had a microphone in his hand and was looking into the audience at the ladies in the spotlight. Before they began to sing, they pulled on their tux jackets, and the light blue outfits disappeared, replaced by dark black jackets, pants, and cummerbunds. Then, they began to sing in harmony, Ron taking the melody:

**(Ron and Wade):**

_Lonely rivers flow to the sea,  
to the sea  
to the open arms of the sea  
lonely rivers sigh 'wait for me, wait for me'  
I'll be coming home wait for me  
_  
Ron and Wade grinned at each other as the music grew, the strings and saxes building to a peak and then falling back to a soft accompaniment as they continued:

**(Ron and Wade):**

_Oh, my love  
my darling  
I've hungered for your touch  
a long lonely time  
and time goes by so slowly  
and time can do so much  
Please, still be mine!  
I need your love  
I need your love  
Godspeed your love to me_

A short, melodic bridge accompanied the audience's applause, and then the applause grew even bigger as all of the male singers began to assemble on stage with James Possible.

In the shadows, Rhonda felt a hand touch her on the shoulder. Looking up from her seat with eyes that were still moist from tears of happiness she had cried from not only the music but from the obvious love that was on display in the spotlights, she saw Grimm standing beside her looking at her. Once she looked up, Grimm removed his hand from her shoulder and held it out to her as he nodded his head toward the center of the room where the spotlights cast their glow. Silently, she placed her hand in his as she swiftly slid her feet back into her shoes then stood up at the tender pull of her hand. Without a word, Grimm led her toward the light, but stopped before they were completely uncovered from the shadows. She looked out at the couples there for a second before she softly felt herself dancing as Grimm's arms wrapped around her with such tenderness that it almost took her breath away. He slowly placed one hand on the base of her neck and the other at the base of her spine as she wrapped her arms around him and placed her chin on his shoulder.

Dancing there just in the shadows, Rhonda knew that Grimm probably would never sing to her from a stage like she had seen those other men do to show their love. But for Grimm, who would inform anyone that he was her boyfriend, but was not big on Public Displays of Affection, this slow dance, hovering just at the edge of the light, and the way he was holding her with such tender love, was the same as Grimm yelling out "I love you, Rhonda" at the top of his lungs on the steps of the Capitol building in Washington DC… 'Well, almost,' she giggled inside.

As the men on stage all began to sing the final chorus, the tears that she had thought were done started anew as she heard Grimm's tenor voice softly start singing to join in with the men singing from the stage in a whisper that only she could hear that caressed not only her ear, but her heart as well melting it into a warm pile of chocolate ganache.

"I love you too, Grimm," Rhonda whispered back as she kissed his ear for just a second.

'She's mine, 'neb, and you can't have her…ever,' was Grimm's only thought as he smiled when he heard Rhonda whisper those words as he added a small amount of pressure on the small of her back and slid his hand down just a tiny bit as he began to whisper-sing to her along with the men singing from the stage:

_Oh, my love  
my darling  
I've hungered for your touch  
a long lonely time  
and time goes by so slowly  
and time can do so much  
Please, still be mine!  
I need your love  
I need your love  
Godspeed your love to me!_

--

'neb grinned as he looked around the table:

Sir Sebastian and Crystal were gazing into each other's eyes, and Crystal had never looked happier… 'and, neither has Double-S, either,' 'neb thought. whitem and Liz were up and slow-dancing to the music, Liz's eyes closed as she leaned on whitem.

'neb reached up and confirmed what his head told him: he was crying, but it was happy and sad tears, both; happy tears for everything that had happened, and sad tears because he knew what was coming next: the finale that the cast had planned, and then everyone would have to leave.

Then, he looked at Bego, and he knew it would not be an easy separation.

--

"What did you say, Bego?" CajunBear73 asked, more than a bit in shock.

"I love you, CajunBear73, and I want to go home with you, or for you to come home with me," Bego smiled, and she reached up and kissed CajunBear73's cheek, causing him to blush.

"Bego, I'm married: I told you that."

"I could be your daughter," she suggested. "I'll be good, I promise," and CajunBear73 remembered enough about robotics that her use of the contraction worried him.

"Maybe I can help, CajunBear73," a familiar voice came from behind Bego, and he looked up to see-

"Wade?"

"Not this one, CajunBear73: I'm from Bego's verse, and I'm sorry this happened. I'll take her back, and this will-"

"No," Bego cut Wade off, and he looked shocked. "I won't go back, Wade. I love CajunBear73; He's the only person who has ever treated me like a person.

"I'm going home with him," she concluded confidently, and Wade looked at CajunBear73 with a look of panic on his face.

"I can wipe her memories, CajunBear73: reset her so that none of this ever happened for her."

The idea that Wade, no matter how well his intentions were, was going to destroy someone shocked CajunBear73, even if that someone was an android. But everything that he had read about robotics told him that, unless something was done, the events of the past night were going to destroy Bego in a way that was complete and final...and the person in his arms would be gone, one way or another.

'But your thoughts and memories are what make you who and what you are…' CajunBear73 thought as he looked from Wade to Bego and then back to Wade. A book that he had read in the past raced at breakneck speed to the front of his thoughts: the subplot of the book was…

"Wade," CajunBear73 grinned because he thought Wade hadn't thought of this method that might let Bego live and remember this night, at least in a way that she could access, "are you certain you don't have an 'Electric Sheep' option stashed somewhere?"

Wade looked at him, perplexed, and Bego grinned and kissed CajunBear73's cheek.

"I knew you loved me," she purred, and Wade laughed while CajunBear73 blushed.

--

**Author's afterward:**

The baby bunnies have emerged and grown, and the fun is about to kick it into high gear for the grand finale!

--

Next, on _**Road Trip:**_

**P2, C9: Closing – Finale**

_The epilog is the only thing left after this..._

--

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting all of us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

--


	20. P2C9: Closing – Finale I

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

It's over, but it's just beginning....

--

**P2, C9: Closing – Finale I  
**

--

"Wade," CajunBear73 grinned because he thought Wade hadn't thought of this method that might let Bego live and remember this night, at least in a way that she could access, "are you certain you don't have an 'Electric Sheep' option stashed somewhere?"

Wade looked at him, perplexed, and Bego grinned and kissed CajunBear73's cheek.

"I knew you loved me," she purred, and Wade laughed while CajunBear73 blushed.

"An 'electric sheep program' – oh!" Wade grinned. "Yes, CajunBear73, I do."

"Will it allow her to keep her memories?" CajunBear73 asked, still trying to keep his blush level down from Bego's kiss on his cheek.

"Yes, it will: I can firewall the memories in such a manner that will allow her to access them only during her equivalent sleep period. Will that suffice?"

CajunBear73 realized that she was still there, and he got embarrassed. 'We've been talking about her like she wasn't here or, worse, like she was a 'thing,'' and the thought bothered him, especially when he saw the look on her face.

"Wade," Bego spoke softly and with respect, "may I have until it's time to leave before you initiate the program, please and thank you?"

"Why?" CajunBear73 asked her, mystified, and Bego giggled.

"Men: all of you are clueless," she laughed. "I want to spend my time with you, silly," she hooked her arm in his, "as much as I have left," she added, barely loud enough for him to hear, and CajunBear73 looked over at her and saw...

...tears.

--

Backstage, an argument began:

"She's mine," Tim Possible looked at his brother with a grin.

"No, she's mine," Jim Possible countered with a grin.

"No way, bantha droppings."

"Right back at'cha, medical probe residue."

--

Liz looked up at the stage and saw the cue.

"Crys, we've gotta go," she unwrapped her arms from whitem and stood, pulling a protesting Crystal to her feet, as well.

Neither Sir Sebastian nor whitem looked too happy. "Where are you going, ladies?" whitem asked.

"Oh, don't worry, boys," Crystal purred, and Sir Sebastian felt his heart flutter. "Like the Governator says: 'We'll be back,'" she smiled, leaned over, and kissed Sir Sebastian on the cheek. "I do love Scandinavia," she giggled, and Crystal and Liz walked away.

"Well, are you two having a good time?" Sir Sebastian looked up from his glazed stare as his eyes followed the ladies to see cpneb smiling at him and whitem.

Their grins were not unlike that of a pair of very pleased Cheshire Cats.

"Are we doing this again next year?" whitem asked, and Sir Sebastian laughed when 'neb fell back into his chair and grabbed his head.

--

"I'll be back, Lady R," Rufus called as he scampered away toward the backstage area.

--

Mike Industries looked relaxed as Ino sat, holding his hand.

'If only I could get him to relax more: he is so worried about everything, and I am so worried about him,' she thought, and then on a whim, she leaned over and kissed his cheek, stirring him immediately from his thoughts.

"What brought that on?" he asked, smiling because he was surprised and pleased at what she'd done.

Ino grinned and said nothing, only squeezing his hand a bit tighter and smiling a bit more.

'He's _such_ a good man,' she thought.

--

"I'm glad you don't mind dancing with an older man," C. P. grinned, and Ace Ian Combat giggled.

"Besides, I need some pointers," he added, and she looked up at him, perplexed.

"I heard what you did to Kim before the Awards ceremony; I want to set up someone for next year." He leaned over and whispered more into Ace's ear.

Ace looked calm, and then she burst out laughing: "C. P, that's pure evil: of course I'll help you set that up!"

"Thank you, dear lady," he twirled her once, and Ace grinned and giggled.

'Kissed by Ron Stoppable, and now this,' she thought. 'What else can happen?' she asked herself.

C. P. looked up and then guided Ace back to her chair.

"I'm sorry, dear Ace, but duty calls," he clicked his heels and bowed, then turned a perfect military about-face and stepped away.

Ace smiled.

--

Backstage, the argument continued:

"No way," Tim Possible looked at his brother with a growl.

"Way," Jim Possible countered with a growl of his own.

"Yes, way, hard head."

"And, you? Granite brain."

"Hicka?"

"No bicka for you, Sha-ba Fett."

--

"...and, that's where my latest Captain Constellation ideas came from; that's why I really like the latest story," James Possible was in heaven: he had found someone who truly understood him.

"That's perfect, James," ja laughed. "I love the battle scene idea."

Anne leaned over to kt and grinned. "Is he like this at home?"

"Worse, especially after he's talked to 'neb and read emails from Star," kt replied.

Anne grinned even bigger. "Can I tell you a secret, kt?"

kt grinned and nodded.

"Do you know that Kimmie lost her memory?" Anne asked softly, and kt nodded. Anne then whispered something into kt's ear. As she spoke, kt's grin got bigger and bigger until she exploded with laughter.

"She DIDN'T!" kt grabbed her sides and laughed hard.

"_**MOM!**_"

Anne looked up innocently at a steaming Kim. "Yes, Kimmie?"

"It's time, and ...you didn't tell her about the story, did you?"

"Well," Anne grinned, and Kim glared at a now-grinning James and a gasping-with-laughter ja.

"Daddy, you told me you got rid of all the copies of that!"

"Well, except for the master backup disks in the bank vault, Kimmie-Cub," James grinned and stood, but Kim, by now, had a grin of which the entire Villain's convention would have been proud.

She walked over to kt, leaned over, and began to whisper into her ear. kt started to grin, smile, and then nodded her head vigorously. The two young ladies stood next to each other, facing Anne, James, and ja and-

They executed a synchronized 'jump, to the left.'

"I certainly hope we don't have to see _**that**_ original tape, Mom, Dad," Kim smiled sweetly.

Anne turned multiple shades of red; James had sweat pouring off of his face, and ja-

ja fell to the floor laughing, then grabbed his chest, pounded it, and yelled "'I'm comin', Elizabeth! It's the big one,'" while still laughing and alternately holding his sides.

Kim motioned for her parents to follow her and began to walk away. As ja stood, Kim turned back, looked at her standing-and-still-in-shock parents, and smiled: "Remember: 'revenge is a dish, best served cold,' not chilled."

kt walked over to her dad, now back in his chair and still laughing. "Same goes for you, Daddy," and she kissed his cheek and sat back down, leaving ja to wonder just what she had planned for him…this time.

He had only one thought:

'Oh, fudge.'

--

"You dance wonderfully, Star," Sarah smiled as he led her back to his seat, followed by Chip Design and Jessica from the MHS cheer squad.

"Why, thank you, dear lady," Star smiled, "I just hope that I missed your toes. And I should be thanking you for taking the time to bother with an older fellow like myself."

"No bother at all, Star," she sat in the chair he held out for her and watched as Star sat slowly. "Did I overwork you?"

"No, Sarah, it's just been a very long time since I even tried to dance this much, or with such lovely ladies like yourself and others tonight. Nowadays, it's just a single movement or two, geared to make my wife laugh and smile. The heart is still young and willing, but sometimes the body reminds me of the miles traveled down the highway." Star paused for a second, and then Sarah saw a twinkle in his eyes just before he started to sing in the same tone of voice she had heard him sing to Kim earlier.

"'Life is a highway; I wanna ride it all night long. If you're going my way; I wanna drive it all night long,'" he sang and wigged his eyebrows at her making laugh.

"Well, Star, with you," Sarah got a gleam in her eye, and she leaned over to Star and sang:

"'I.

"'Could.

"'Have.

"'Danced, all night, and still have danced some more,'" she sang softly and clearly, and she wiggled her eyebrows back at him. The two chuckled softly and then broke their gaze.

Star turned his head in the general direction of the stage and smiled. "That looks like a good sign," Star commented and pointed, and Sarah followed his finger-pointing to see 'neb and Chip engaged in a conversation that ended with the two of them shaking hands and Chip hugging 'neb, and 'neb looked quite surprised at Chip's response.

"I'd say it was, as well," Sarah added as Chip broke his hug and headed toward the backstage area. He stopped, turned, looked at Sarah, and pointed to his wrist. Sarah looked at her watch and jumped up.

"I'm sorry, Star, but I'm late," she leaned over, hugged him quickly, and then ran toward Chip, followed by Jessica, all going the opposite direction of 'neb.

Star saw 'neb jump when Jessica walked by, and 'neb turned and looked at the grinning Jessica. He shook his head and walked toward the table.

"What was that about, 'neb?"

"It seems that Ron and Kim have been sharing the 'Peerless Pincher' with others," 'neb frowned, and he didn't understand why Star was laughing so hard.

--

Slyrr smiled and sipped his water as he watched Grimm and Rhonda walk back to the table, hand-in-hand.

"Was it worth the trip?" he asked.

"Well, d'uh, Slyrr!" Jade laughed, and Grimm grimaced and grinned at the same time.

"Miss Jade?" Jade looked up and grinned even bigger, for there, in front of her, stood Ran Hakubi. He extended his hand and smiled: "May I have this dance?"

Slyrr heard a sound he'd never heard from Jade before: she tittered and stood, took Ran's hand and walked to the dance floor for a waltz that Mags had started up, just for a special couple.

Slyrr turned his head back to Grimm and Rhonda. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourselves, you two: you deserve some time away from everything."

'And, 'neb is never getting his hands on _my_ Rhonda,' Grimm smiled as he made the promise to himself. Slyrr, seeing the predatory smile from Grimm, turned to look at Rhonda and caught a wink from her that was followed by an almost exact copy of the predatory look from Grimm. 'Looks like they _both_ have finally got what they wanted: neither is going to let go,' Slyrr thought as he fought to keep a straight face and not burst into a huge smile.

--

Backstage, an argument continued:

"She's mine: I saw her first!" Tim Possible stood with his hands on his hips.

"Nuh-UH! _**I**_ saw her first," Jim Possible countered in the same stance.

"Both of you are wrong," a young man in Global Justice blues walked up. "_**I**_ saw her first.

"I _**am**_ willing, however, to let the young lady decide: can we agree on that?"

"All right, Jay," Jim said.

"We'll do it your way," Tim added, and Jay smiled.

--

Mags touched her headset and listened, then spoke into her headset, listened for the reply, and she nodded.

The orchestra finished the waltz, and Mags cued up the transition music as everyone went back to their seats.

The orchestra finished their last piece, and the entire facility went black except for the twinkling of lights in the ceiling, the candles on the tables, and the candles at the rear of the stage, still lit and glowing with green flames.

--

Silence for several moments, and then the classic announcer voice came over the speakers:

"Ladies and Gentlemen: Kim Possible, and Ron Stoppable!"

Kim and Ron came out onto the stage to thunderous applause, and the applause turned into laughter as they saw that the pair were dressed differently than they had been at any time that evening:

Both were wearing peasant clothes, looking like workers in the fields of Eastern Europe from the late 19th or early 20th century, and both were carrying long cases.

"Hey, KP, are you having fun tonight?"

"Ron, I am...and I never saw Mom blush that much before after Dad finished singing to her," Kim replied, and a rim shot came from the orchestra.

Ron let the audience's laughter die down, and Kim saw tears beginning to form on Ron's face.

"Well, KP, it's over for awhile," Ron grinned through his tears. "I swore I wouldn't do this, but seeing you up here, and not knowing what tomorrow brings...well, it's scary, all right?"

"It's all right to be scared, Ron: fear makes us stronger. Remember how you used to be afraid of robot horses?"

"That appears to be behind you now, sir," and the audience laughed as Tornado trotted across the back of the stage from the left, stopped, whinnied, and went off stage to the right.

"So, what's in the case, KP?"

"Well," Kim grinned, "Mags had an idea for the closing, and she told me she wanted me to do it."

"That's funny," Ron said. "She told me the same thing."

"You don't suppose she's messing with us, do you?" Kim asked, and the spotlight hit Mags in the pit with a plastic halo on her head and a look of pure innocence on her face. 'neb's laugh was the loudest of all.

After the audience quit laughing, Kim glared at her.

"Methinks we've been bamboozled, Ron," Kim said as she put her case down on the ground and opened it, pulling out a full-sized violin and bow.

"I think so, too, KP," Ron had done the same, and he pulled out a violin and bow, as well.

"I don't see any roofs around here for fiddlers," came from backstage, and the audience laughed.

"She told me to play 10 notes, Ron, and she taught me how to do it, too."

"Same here, KP: it took me about 15 minutes to get everything right. How long did it take you?" Ron asked, and Kim started to blush.

"neu hrs," she mumbled, and the audience started to chuckle.

"What was that?"

"Two hours," Kim turned redder, and the audience's chuckle got louder. "Hey, now you know why I went out for cheer squad instead of orchestra."

"KP, it's not that hard: it's just like cooking," Ron said, and the glare he received told him he'd said the wrong thing...again.

"And, she can't do that or boil water, either; she _**can**_ burn water, though," came from Pharaoh Rutin Tutin at the table, and the laughter started.

"I _dunno_," Shego's voice came from backstage. "Princess certainly had Stoppable cooking earlier tonight: I think she definitely had his water at a boil," she added, and it was Ron's turn to blush along with Kim as the laughter boiled over..

"Let's start, KP," Ron said when his ears finally cooled down, and Kim nodded.

They both lifted their violins and bows, placed the instruments under their chins, and played the opening 10 notes of the "Kim Possible" theme, slow and mournful, but the exact same notes as on the show. When they finished, the audience applauded, and Mags gave the downbeat to a rhythm vamp as stage hands came out dressed in Global Justice, Drakken and Gemini henchman outfits and left with the violins, bows, and cases.

The applause started back up when Anne and James Possible accompanied Jean and Gene Stoppable as well as Betty Director and Wade Load. All of them were dressed just like Kim and Ron, and they all stood together and waited for the cue from Mags to begin singing:

(Anne and Jean) _Bob and Mark have gone to play with penguins,_

(James and Gene) _Even though we begged them both to stay._

(Betty and Wade) _Steve, we think, has gone back into hiding,_

(Ron and Kim) _And, gone are all the writers, far away._

(All) _We all feared that we would be forgotten;_

_But you prove us wrong, and we say YEA! _

(and, from backstage, a cheer came): _HOORAY!_

(Ron and Kim) _And, now, that the show is on Hiatus,_

(All) _We have one request from you, we pray:_

The stage went black, and the spotlight hit the pit orchestra, now looking like a big band from the 1920s, with Mags getting the whistles in a tux jacket and tails she was now wearing which showed off far too much of her for cpneb's benefit. She grinned at him and winked as she continued to conduct the opening vamp, and he laughed just before the lights popped back on the stage to reveal-

No one.

The 'gang of 8' was standing in front of the orchestra, all in tuxes and tails. The ladies were all in outfits matching Mags for pants length: slightly longer than mid-thigh, and all had dark hose and Pradas to match. The gentlemen all wore top hats and held canes that they were twirling, and they were all grinning.

'Probably because of where they were standing: off to the side of the ladies, and they could see everything,' whitem grinned, and the octet began to sing when Mags gave the cue

--

(Ron and Kim) _Birds can't do it,_

(Gene and Jean_) Bees can't do it,_

(James and Anne)_ Even educated fleas don't do it,_

(Wade and Betty)_ But you do it: _

(All) _Please, write the fic!_

(Gene and Jean)_ We know that folks in __España__ read it,_

(Wade and Betty) _Even people all the way out in Guam read it,_

(All, in unison) _When you write it; _

_So, please write the fic!_

The spotlight hit Crystal in her silver dress, generating whistles from the audience: she was standing behind a rather surprised-looking Sir Sebastian:

(Crystal) _Those living in Norway read it,_

_Not to mention the Finns... _

The audience cheered as Sir Sebastian raised his arms in triumph, and she leaned over and kissed his cheek, generating additional blood flow to his face.

The spotlight hit the stage, showing Shego and Dr. Drakken already there with Drakken's henchmen in their full red outfits. Shego was wearing a green-and-black tux jacket with appropriately-matched green-and-black shorts and tights, and Dr. D was 'dressed to the nines' in tuxedo, top hat, cane...and petals.

(Shego, Dr. Drakken, and the henchmen) _Folks in old Siam do it,_

_Think of Siamese twins _

Then Dr. Drakken yelled out quickly: _NOT TWEEBS!_ To the delight of the audience.

(Shego, Dr. Drakken, and the henchmen) _Some Argentines, without means, read it,_

_People in Boston who eat beans read it,_

_They read it: so, please, write the fic!_

The spotlight then hit a surprised Pharaoh Rutin Tutin: surprised because of the spotlight on him and because of the Naked Mole Rat standing in front of him holding a microphone:

(Rufus) _Na na na naaaaa, na na naaaaa na na!_

_Na na na na na na naaaaa, na na!_

_Na Gouda!_

_Na na na Cheese!_

'Why did I understand everything he just sang perfectly?' Pharaoh thought to himself as Rufus took his bows, then scampered up to Pharaoh's shoulder and gave his a peck on the cheek.

From the darkness around the room, two words were whispered by Kim, Ron, Betty, Joss, Wade, Jim, Tim, Anne, James, C. P., Drakken, Shego, and several other cast members in the ears of the person they had surprised by appearing next to them:

"You're next."

--

**Author's afterward:**

So, I have an evil cliffie for a finale: who knew?

--

Next, on _**Road Trip:**_

**P2, C10: Closing – Finale II and Epilogue**

--

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting all of us on this new journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.

--


	21. P2,C10: Closing – Finale II and Epilogue

_**Road Trip**_

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time).

This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.

Enjoy! Please read and review.

**A/N Forward: **

It's over….

--

**P2, C10: Closing – Finale II and Epilogue**

--

The spotlight hit the audience once again, and CaptainKodak1 looked up, startled…mainly because he was still in shock over winning the awards and plotting some way to get back at 'neb for the 'introduction' to the after-party. On one side of him were Kim and Ron, and they had changed into the clothes he had them wearing on the Titanic.

(Kim and Ron) _Our favourite guys, all alone, can't do it;_

(Ron grinned) _But, supermen like the Cap __do it_

(Kim and Ron) _so, you do it: please write the fic!_

Then, he heard a sound to his right, and Shego and Dr. Drakken were there, both in pirate attire:

(Shego and Drakken) _Writers in their rooms, all alone, do it._

_Some, even every single night, do it _(Shego grinned, and CaptainKodak1 gulped)

_So, you do it: Go, write the fic!_

Mags had the orchestra vamp a couple of choruses when the house went dark, and then the spotlight hit ja and kt, much to their surprise and the delight of many, based on the applause.

Anne Possible was standing, having pulled ja to his feet and was holding his head in her hands as she sang to him, softly:

_The suave and gentlemanly writers do it  
When a character cries,  
Those debonair genteel owls do it,  
and, we know they are wise._

_So, we old broads love when men do it.__  
They love us, oh so much, when they do it.  
So, _(Anne whispered)_ do it… _and Anne winked, as ja blushed,  
_Please write the fic,_ and she kissed his forehead and tapped his headgear with a grin.

Kt had started to blush already: on one side of her were Jim and Tim Possible, and on the other was a young man from Global Justice that she had seen earlier. The look he had on his face when he looked at her worried her: it was the same goofy grin that Ron had when he looked at Kim in season one.

"I'm Tim Possible," Tim took kt's hand, helped her to her feet, and kissed it. She blushed and giggled.

"And, I'm Jim Possible," he said, doing the same, and she giggled once again.

"I'm Jay Driver, ma'am: Global Justice," the young man spoke and he lowered his head and, taking her hand, kissed it, and she couldn't help but giggle once more.

Tim started: _Romantic sponges, they say, don't do it,  
Oysters, down in Oyster Bay, don't do it,  
But, you do it: you write the fic._

Jim continued with a grin on his face:

_Cold Cape Cod clams, all refused to do it,  
Jellyfish lazing in the sun don't do it,  
But, you do it: you write the fic!_

Then, Jay grinned and started to sing:

_Electronique, I might add, couldn't do it,  
Though it shocked her to hear.  
Sturgeon, thank God, do it,  
Have some caviar, dear._

_Above the shoals, English souls write it.  
Giant Amphibious Naked Mole Rats write it_ (_if they're named Rufus_, he spoke, and kt laughed)  
_You do it so well, _he smiled, and kt blushed_, so keep writing fic!_

kt was smothered by the three bodies, and she came up for air, totally red, and ja was grinning at his daughter when Jim and Tim both blew her kisses and Jay snapped off a perfect salute and then walked away as the spotlight went dark.

_The writers, way up North, do it, _a young voice started, and Ino laughed as the lights came up to the sight of Kathrine Elizabeth Load, holding a wireless microphone and singing to Mike Industries, and Ino was laughing with him as he blushed.

_Even living in 'M' states, they do it.  
So, do it,_ and she leaned over to Mike and puckered her lips,  
_Please, write the fic, _and she blew him a kiss, then hugged him and ran away, giggling.

_Nice Arkansas gentlemen, do it, _Star_Eva01 looked up, and he saw both Joss and Kim Possible facing him  
_And they do it so well.  
__They keep on writing romance stories, _Joss sang,  
_Even when I give him all h- _Kim sang and blushed, and Star_Eva01 laughed and hugged both of the ladies.

_Strange captains play, oh so well, and do it, _and Captain IT looked up in surprise in the pit: on one side was Shego, and on the other side was Mags.  
_Even with basses in tune.  
__They write fics, and make people laugh, _Shego sang.  
_And they make some dames swoon,_ Mags laughed, Shego blushed, and Captain IT grinned from ear to ear.

_Canadian writers are the best, I think,_ and Jurnee Jakes laughed when he looked up and saw Joe, once again, standing in front of him and holding two bottles of beer.  
_They know how to have fun.  
__You Yanks, well, at least you like us. _His watch beeped, and he frowned.  
_Oops: sorry, gotta run!_ He handed Jurnee both bottles and took off, heading for the exit.

The spotlight popped on a surprised cpneb, and he was even more surprised at the view:

_Some writers like us old broads, we know,_ Anne Possible, Mrs. Stoppable, Nana Possible, and Betty Director laughed as they sang._  
And, some like 'em young,_ Kim, Tara, Joss, and Bonnie sang and laughed._  
Sometimes they want to constantly tease us,_ Kathrine Elizabeth Load, Sarah Best, Justine Flanner, and Alexis Safic sang, and 'neb blushed,  
_So, we have to give them some fun_, and the ladies all crowed around 'neb.

When they all ran for the stage, 'neb's face was covered in lip prints, and he was grinning.

Pharaoh Rutin Tutin was counting the number of brands on 'neb's face, but he stopped after 10.

Mags had the orchestra vamp for a chorus as the cast all re-assembled on stage, all facing the audience and holding hands with each other.  
_We all know that we can't survive, without you,  
And we thank you, all;  
Just don't go south to hunt penguins, we plead,  
We don't want you to fall._

_We love having you around, and doin' it  
Please stay and keep on keepin' on…doin' it.  
Just do it!  
Please, write the fic!_

The audience leapt to its feet in thunderous applause, and the cast bows in unison, and different groups step to the front of the stage to take their bows, all to the accompanying music of '"Please, Write the Fic!'

kt leans over to her dad and whispers, "this has been fun!"

PRT looks up at the stage, and Sarah blows him a kiss. He reaches up and catches it, and she winks at him and smiles.

Kim looks down at Star and smiles, and Star blushes.

Anne looks at ja and grins, then winks.

Wade looks down at cpneb and gives him a thumbs-up, and 'neb smiles and returns the gesture.

The lights are all lowered in the auditorium, and a spotlight falls on Mags.

"The show is over…or, is it on hiatus? I'd prefer to think the latter, especially after the time we've spend here. I'd like to thank Dr. Wade Load and 'neb for making it 'Possible,'" she grinned, "for me and the orchestra to be here tonight.

"The cast asked for this, and who am I to deny KP?" She grinned and took the pointed end of her baton. "'neb? Would you come and conduct the closing, please and thank you?"

The orchestra all stood and applauded, and 'neb looked shocked as he rose to the applause of the attendees and made his way to the pit. The gate was opened, and he stepped onto the podium. Mags looked at him, then hugged him, kisses his cheek, whispered something to him that made him smile, and took her seat as the concertmaster of the orchestra.

'neb turned to the stand, looked at the score cover, and smiled.

"I don't need this," he pointed at the score, and the cast laughed as he lifted his baton. The crowd grew quiet, and he gave a down beat. The house lights all went off, and the only lights in the venue were the tiny string lights twinkling in the ceiling, the five candles lit onstage, and the emergency lights in the aisles and above the doors.

The lone B-flat came from the muted violins in a soulful manner, and ja grinned.

"Is that what I think it is?" came from kt in a whisper, and ja squeezed her hand.

"It is, dear darling daughter," he replied as the rest of the strings joined in: "Samuel Barber's 'Adagio for Strings,'" he whispered as the cast began to walk to the back of the stage, pick up a candle, and light it from flames burning at one of the five candles still burning with a green flame.

The cast members, each with a lit candle in one hand and cold ones in another, came off the stage and handed the unlit candles to audience members. They then headed for the rear of the auditorium to form a path of cast members for the audience to walk through as they exited the room. All the time, the music continued to play, the strings sounding both sad and hopeful at the same time.

"It's beautiful," CajunBear73 realized that Bego was still with him, and he turned to see her crying to the music and feel her place her hand in his. "I am so happy that I get to spend this time with you, my friend. I will never forget this, or you," she added with a smile.

Kim, Ron, and Wade each lit their candles and came off the stage as the music began to come to the end. Ron even managed to rig a holder for Rufus so he had a candle…with a wax shield, of course. The foursome stopped in front of the pit and stood silently as the orchestra came to the conclusion, the ending chord in F major hanging in the air as 'neb silenced the orchestra.

"The show may be over, but you keep us alive…out there, in here," Kim spoke to the audience, totally silent, and pointed to her heart. "Thank you, from me, Ron, Wade, Rufus, and the entire cast and crew, for believing in us, and thank you for 'writing the fics,'" she grinned, and there were tears in her eyes. "We will be back here, next year, and the candles are coming back, as well, especially," and she pointed to the one in the center, "his candle, until all are back home."

"Thank you, and good night," and the BEEP-BEEP-be-DEEP! rang though the room, followed by CaptainIT's masterful bass lick, and the theme song started up, joined by the applause as the audience, led by Kim, Ron, Wade, and Rufus, all headed for the exit to light their candles and say good-bye to their favorite cast members.

--

'neb stood and watched as the last limousine pulled away… 'and, I'll bet that the drivers are still smiling,' he thought. The luggage was all loaded on the jet, and everyone was milling around, talking, exchanging ideas, and just enjoying each other one last time before they boarded the jet.

The sound of approaching buses had everyone looking up, and the cheers from the buses left no mistake as to the occupants. The first bus stopped, and 'neb grinned at Akinyi and the ladies began to step off the buses.

"Well, looks like the ladies have arrived to say goodbye to the 'nebster," he grinned, and the ladies all ran toward him, not unlike a PFP rush…

…and they continued past 'neb and, to a woman, screamed as they all surrounded Zaratan.

"Yeah, right, 'neb," Akinyi laughed as 'neb looked on, jelling about the fact that not ONE of the ladies had stopped to say goodbye to him.

'neb and Akinyi chuckled as the crowd of women thinned, revealing a shocked, surprised, smiling, and extremely happy Zaratan, his smile larger that Drakkanada. All of the ladies all walked back toward the jet…all, that is, but one.

Zaratan looked up and saw Bonnie Rockwaller, standing alone, her face streaked with dried tears. He motioned to her, and she took a few tentative steps to stand in front of him, her head down.

"What's wrong, Bonnie?" Zaratan felt confused, and he lifted her head with a single finger under her chin..

"I was worried, Zaratan," she began, and he saw that she was about to start crying once again. "You didn't show up, and I thought you were dead," she continued, and she surprised him by falling, face-first, into his chest, and starting to wet his shirt.

Zaratan was surprised, to say the least: he had no idea that she had been that worried.

"If something happened to you, I don't know what I'd do," she sobbed into him, and he gently wrapped his hands around her, holding her as she shook from her sobs.

She looked up, and he was hooked on teal, one more time.

She smiled and kissed his nose. "You did a great job the other night, Zaratan," she whispered with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. "It doesn't matter what those others won; you were the star of the show," she continued, causing him to blush a bit as she kissed his cheek, then his chin, and then she grew a very, very wicked smile.

"That's just not gonna do, Jason," she said in her Bonnie-in-charge voice, and she administered a full dose of "Bonnie-lip-lock" on a startled Jason Jones.

"Well, somebody's happy," 'neb said as he watched Bonnie's left leg lift.

"Make that two," Akinyi laughed as Jason's leg rose, as well.

"Stay with me," she announced when their lips separated.

"I can't," he replied. "Even though part of me very much wants to stay with you," he continued.

"A part of me wants you to stay, as well, but I know you can't," Bonnie smiled, her tears making a reappearance on her face.

"You do want me to stay, don't you?" he asked, smiling at her.

She looked him over and smiled as well. "And, you want to stay, as well, don't you?"

"We'll always have the Fannies, Bonnie," he grinned and looked at her, then smiled fondly as she laughed, brushed a kiss across his lips, and took his hand.

"I can at least see you off," she said, squeezing his hand and walking him back to the jet.

--

"Good-byes, as a rule, stink, but these have smelled especially bad," 'neb mused as the jet made the final takeoff from 'neb's Colorado, heading for his house.

They had flown the reverse course to drop everyone off, and the tears had started at the first landing.

Akinyi's departure had hit 'neb the hardest…something told him that he might not see her again for a long time, but he couldn't tell her that. 'Just another fear of an old man, worrying about his friends of all shapes, sizes, and ages,' he mused as the plane took off and he saw her waving at him through his window.

Now, 'neb was on the jet with ja, kt, a collection of MHS cheerleaders, all crying, Kathrine Load, Kim and Ron, Wade and Joss, the Doctors Possible…and Bego.

She had insisted on seeing CajunBear73 off, and she had held up well until they took off. After the seat belt light went off, she unbuckled and walked up to where 'neb was sitting.

"May I sit with you for a moment, 'neb?" she asked, and he nodded. She sat down, took his hand, and squeezed it until he yelped in pain.

"Sorry: don't know my own strength sometimes," she grinned, and her face instantly transformed into pure sorrow.

"I'll never see him again, 'neb, and I love him so much that it hurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrts," she cried, and she slammed her face into his chest, soaking his sports coat and shirt with tears. She stayed there until they began to descend for the Colorado landing and drop-off of ja and kt.

kt watched 'neb the entire time. 'He is a good man,' she thought. 'And, he is a wonderful 'Adopted Godfather,'' she giggled internally and squeezed her dad's hand.

Kathrine Load saw kt's grin and winked conspiratorially at her.

After takeoff, 'neb had one question for Bego.

"Are you scared?"

"A bit," she admitted.

"Would you like for me to stay with you when you…you know," he stammered, and she grinned through her wet face and kissed his forehead.

"You're weird, and now I see what Jocelyn sees in you," she announced. "I like weird, too," she giggled.

"HEY!" came from both Joss and Kim, and 'neb, C. P., and Ron all laughed.

"Would you be with me when I do it?" she asked, and 'neb smiled.

"It would be my honor, Bego," he admitted, and realized that he had tears forming, now.

"T'was best done quickly, Wade…before we land, please and thank you," she smiled, and Wade opened his case, revealing his PosComm and the external cable that the other 'Wade' had provided to him for the process to occur. He handed Bego the cable, and she opened a port on her wrist and inserted it. "Hold my hand, 'neb, please?" she asked, and he took her hand and kissed it, generating a titter from her.

He leaned in, kissed her cheek, and nodded as he closed his eyes. He felt her skin change in his hand, and he opened his eyes to Bego…but, not the Bego that was there a moment ago.

"I…am…fine…cpneb…thank…you…for…the…opportunity," she spoke, and 'neb smiled and nodded as he felt his heart shatter.

"Will she remember, Wade?" he asked.

"'Electric sheep,' 'neb," Wade assured him, and the men smiled at each other.

--

_**Epliogue**_

She remembered the look that her mother had when she showed her the pictures the first time, and now her mom had a set of her own.

Twila Starla laughed at the pictures, once again:

Her, dressed as a young Anne Possible, in the middle between Kim on her left and Mrs. Possible on her right.

Her, dancing with Dr. Adams.

Her, in the store, staring down a totally shocked Kim, with Ron and Monique laughing behind her.

'Good times, good times,' she thought as she placed the pictures on her nightstand and turned out the light.

--

Bego powered down for another night, and she dreamed…

"Well, hello there, handsome," she smiled at CajunBear73. He offered his hand, she took it, and the glided to the dance floor.

"Mags, please and thank you," Bego grinned and Mags nodded, turning to the orchestra and they began to dance to a Strauss waltz.

"You dance divinely, my dear," he told her, and she smiled.

--

'I've put stories out, and people are actually reading and reviewing!' Thomas Linquist laughed to himself from his home in Canada.

'But, I need to send something to a writer, now, because of what he wrote about Ryan Load and his disability,' he thought after reading the profile of the writer.

"Next, on Nick at Night: Charlie's Angels!" the announcer blared, and the theme music began to play.

2.1.2008

--

'I cannot stand it one moment more,' Neo the Saiyan Angel said as looked through the microscope in lab. 'One more writer is demeaning Dr. Drakken, and it vexes me so!'

'Maybe, I'm mad enough to just do something about it,' she said as she walked into her room, closed her door, and sat down at her computer.

"Dr. D, and Kim? Now," she grinned evilly, "that's a sick and wrong pair," and she began to type…

..but she decided to start with one that would get their attention: Dr. Drakken and Motor Ed.

"No, go with your instincts, GF," she giggled, opened another document, and began to type.

6.11.2008

--

"I can't believe the depth of these stories!" Kwebs said as he closed another chapter.

'I could never do that,' he thought sadly, and then he looked up as his wife came in the door.

'I understand Ron far too well: just look at me, then look at Silvermist,' he grinned, and she smiled at him as she went into their bedroom.

'Well, maybe I'll try writing one story…who knows? Stranger things have happened,' he thought and grinned as he opened up his word processor. "Just look at how lucky I got," and he began to type….

2.14.2008

--

'This is as good as the show, and I can't believe that she's writing with her father!' Anabri thought, closing the browser and powering down the computer before bed and another day of school.

'I'm just as old as she is, so why don't try some writing on my own?' she thought as she lay under her covers.

'Could it be…' she thought as she fell asleep. as she

4.11.2008

--

Absentialuci came back and slammed her door.

"Merde!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. That idiot had done it again, and she had had to clean up behind him.

"And, it vexes me so," she laughed as she changed clothes and ate dinner.

She headed for her computer and the vice that she was certain would get her laughed out of the Air Force: FanFiction, and KP FanFiction, in particular.

"Some of these writers are ok, some stink up the web, and there are a few real gems out here," she smiled. "I wonder if there are any that take their military seriously," and she found a story that, surprisingly, actually made her cry.

"And, he even knows what a pony nuke is," she laughed, and she read his profile after sending her review.

"Maybe he'll read one of my stories…nah!" she laughed and uncorked a bottle.

8.23.2008

--

"Good night, Kathrine," Tara Load said and closed the bedroom door.

"She's almost out," Wade smiled and kissed his wife.

And, after all this time, I still can't believe we won, Dr. Load," Tara grinned.

"'Anything's possible' for a Load, my dear," he grinned and swatted her rear as he closed their bedroom door

"Good night, 'neb; good night, kt; good night, ja; and a string of hugs and kisses to you, Mikey," she giggled as she pulled her covers up.

"Good night, moon, and I'll see you all next year…I hope," and she closed her eyes to dream.

--

**Author's afterward:**

It's done, and just in time, too!

The numbers in the epilogue are the dates that the writers registered on the site in 2008.

--

Next, on _**Road Trip II…**_

"KP, calm down!" Ron was trying to eat a Naco, but Kim was bouncing worse than his baby sister.

"Ron, they believe, and they're still writing, even after the show's gone!" she exclaimed.

"Rufus, it's time," Ron announced, and the little guy came out, ran to Kim's purse, and pulled it out.

Kim stopped and stared in horror.

"If you don't calm down, KP, you'll never see the card again," Ron stated calmly, holding her first Club Banana charge card in his left hand and a pair of scissors in the other.

All Ron heard was a low growl....

--

Thank you, to all of you, for supporting all of us on this journey.

Thanks again for reading, and please review.


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